Eternity
by Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo
Summary: Skiing in Greenland isn't that much fun for Elevain Furr. She wishes oh so badly she were somewhere else, because being thrown into the middle of Elrond's Council and traveling with the Fellowship is so much better, right? Right. R&R please!
1. Weird Weather and Angry Council Members

**A/N: so, after reading some older reviews, i took the criticism and other suggestions and realized my errors. i rewrote the first chapter. i hope its better this time. it's really hard to admit you're wrong sometimes, and i want to thank the early reviewers for helping me. **

**Love, **

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo  
**

* * *

The lodge door shut behind me. I sat on the bench. I didn't want to be here, I wanted to be in the warm, sunny field of my England home, rapidly firing arrows from my long bow, or hacking away at my sword instructor as he taught me how to do more difficult moves that the rest of my class wouldn't understand, or even reading a fantasy book, or drawing some fantasy creature, I could probably write a whole book on why I didn't want to be here. Even if I was in Middle-Earth during the last battle at the black gate, I would be having more fun than I was now. _Gandalf, _I thought, _if you can hear me, which you probably can't, take me with you to Imladris. Take me to Rivendell, let me become a member of the Fellowship. Take me away from here. _

My friends, Mandy and Amanda, had dragged me here, to this freezing wasteland that was supposed to be "fun". There was nothing fun here, in the heart of Greenland. The skiing was terrible, the air was dry, and there was nothing but snow, trees, and more snow. My friends never understood my drive. Well, Amanda did. Amanda and I had been friends since we were babies. I tried to tell them that I had to do something to fill in the extra time I had from not having a boyfriend.

They had tried to give me a break, and then tried to get me to stop and get a life. Well, Mandy had anyway. _"Elevain, when we go back, we need to get rid of your sword and your bow. Plus all of your books, writings and art materials. You need to get a life," Mandy said. "No, Elevain don't listen to her," Amanda kept saying. She was probably the only one that understood me. I stared at Mandy. "What do you mean? I have a life. That is my life." "No you don't. You need to get rid of all that stuff and get a boyfriend." "I am not getting rid of that stuff. It's all I have, my whole life's work. I can't just throw it away. And besides I would still keep it if I did have a boyfriend. It's not like I choose not to have a boyfriend anyway." "No Elevain. We are going to burn it when we get back." "Mandy! No we are not! Don't listen to her Elevain! Please don't!" I couldn't believe what Mandy was saying. _I reflected on what had just happened, on what Mandy had said. That was why I walked out on them. I was tired of the cold, of the snow, of not being understood, and of being me. I closed my eyes and the tears that had stung them earlier rolled down my face. They were warm, but I didn't care.

The door opened and I quickly whipped them away. The young couple left quickly, and so I was alone again.

Again I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. And suddenly there was a loud screech and then pain, pain everywhere. My eyes wouldn't open. There were screams all around me, familiar and strange. I could feel warmth flow over my body. There was a point of weight where I could feel nothing, nothing but pain. I gasped and screamed and thrashed, but nothing happened. And then everything went black.

But when I opened my eyes, it was light; and warm. All around me were elves, men and dwarves, not the snow or darkness that had been closing in on me. Next to me was a tall man in a gray robe sort of thing, with gray hair and a long gray beard and a large wood staff. On my other side was another man, with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes and a gray-brown half robe that opened in the front.

I myself had a blue half robe with a tight vest on top of a long sleeved, light blue shirt with vambraces on my wrists and a long skirt with tight pants underneath and tight fitting boots that came half way up my calves.

As I looked around, I recognized Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, Legolas, the elf sitting next to me, Gandalf, the man in gray on my other side, and Frodo sitting next to Gandalf. The only one missing was Elrond.

Then I realized what had happened; I had been taken from my world, and put into a different dimension- that of Middle-Earth. But then I wondered, is this just the movie, or a dream? The people I saw were both the actors and the characters from The Lord of the Rings, one of my favorite books and movies. But there were no cameras.

I was staring at Legolas, which was probably why he turned to look at me. His reaction was a little delayed.

"Who are you?"

"Elevain?" I recomposed my voice. "My name is Elevain."

Gandalf turned to me, so did everyone else. I tucked my hair behind my ear, a sign of my embarrassment. And then I felt my ears; they were pointed. I leaned back, trying to escape their stare, but that didn't help. It just made it worse. I felt arrow feathers, two hilts and a bowstring on the back of my head. That's when the full realization sunk in—I was an elf, in the council of Elrond, in middle earth, and it was not a dream.

Thankfully, Elrond came in at that moment, but Boromir and Legolas continued to watch me. It was boromir that made me uncomfortable.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate — this one doom. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Frodo stood and walked slowly to the pedestal and placed the ring in the center.

"So it is true…" Boromir murmured.

I thought I heard a small whisper in my ear. I couldn't understand it, yet it continued.

Then Boromir stood and addressed the council, "In a dream, I saw the eastern sky grow dark. But in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying: 'Your doom is near at hand.' Isildur's Bane is found." He walked to the pedestal and hovered his hand over the ring.

Elrond leapt up. "Boromir!"

And then Gandalf began the black speech of Mordor; "Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul."

The sky darkened as the Ring echoed the words and thunder rolled.

I was horrified.

As soon as Gandalf stopped, so did the Ring and the sky cleared. Everyone was sitting down, perhaps as frightened as I was.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris!" Elrond sounded a bit, upset, if you will.

"I do not ask your pardon, master Elrond, for the black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the west!" Gandalf's voice was harsh after the chanting. "It is all together evil!" he sat down, but not before giving Boromir a warning look that he paid no head to.

"It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor." Boromir stood and began to pace. "Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the steward of Gondor kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy! Let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it! None of us can. The ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Aragorn was definitely defiant, but not in a bad way.

"And what would a ranger know of this matter?"

It was Legolas that answered him, "This is no mere ranger." He stood up. "This is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

Boromir looked at Aragorn. His gaze would be anything but pleasant. "Aragorn? This… is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor."

Aragorn didn't like all the attention he was getting. "Havo dad, Legolas." (Sit down, Legolas.)

"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king."

I wanted to slap Boromir's face. Gondor needed a king.

"Aragorn is right, we cannot use it," Gandalf said.

Elrond was the next to speak. "You have only one choice. The ring must be destroyed."

I lowered my gaze, knowing my face would turn bright red in embarrassment even though I wasn't the one embarrassing myself. It always happened.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Gimli grabbed an axe and lifted it above his head. Internally I winced. There was an earsplitting crack as the axe shattered and then a thud as Gimli landed from being thrown back.

I couldn't believe it, the ring had withstood the impact, with out even the slightest scratch, and it had been strong enough to throw Gimli backwards onto his back.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin, by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you, must do this."

Boromir spoke again. I really just wanted him to shut up, but I didn't want to draw any more attention to myself. "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland. Riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!"

Legolas started to say something, but I was louder. "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The ring must-"

"And what would a _woman _know of this?" Boromir asked.

Oy ve. "Alright dude, Boromir, what ever you want to be called. I'm an elf, not a woman. See?" I pulled my hair behind my ear. "And secondly, I know more about this than you do so I don't want to hear it. Just shut up. As I was saying, the ring must be destroyed."

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli challenged.

"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir sounded like he was agreeing.

At that point, everyone started to yell. I couldn't stand it.

"Hey! I've got a good idea. Y'ALL SHOULD SHUT UP!" Everyone stopped at my outburst and turned to look at me. "No, I don't think I'm the one to destroy the ring. The impending doom hangs above all our heads by a hair! And all you can do is argue about who is going to destroy it? Does it really matter? As long as the Ring is destroyed, I don't care who takes it. And you shouldn't either! You need to put aside your differences and other arguments and debate this like civil people!" I was surprised at how nice my voice sounded even though I was really angry. It was fair and high, very nice.

Boromir took a step towards me and I took an instinctive one back.

"You are very bold to be saying these things," he said, taking yet another step closer to me.

I took another step back and bumped into someone, probably Legolas. He took my arms like he was ready to throw me out of the way if something happened, then he growled. "Its nothing but the truth," I replied.

"And yet my question still stands, what happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

"Does it matter? If he does we will all be begging for death before the end!"

The silence was unbearably tense.

Suddenly, startling all but me, a young voice said the words we'd all been waiting to hear:

"I will take it. I will take the ring into Mordor. Though- I do not know the way."

We all turned to look at Frodo. Gandalf's face was saddened. "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear." He went to stand next to Frodo, placing his hand on his shoulder.

Aragorn rose and went to kneel in front of Frodo. "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. You have my sword." He stood beside Gandalf.

"And you have my bow," Legolas said.

"And mine." Everyone looked at me, but I didn't care. I was going weather they liked it or not.

"And my axe." Gimli looked up at Legolas and me, a little worriedly.

There was a pause as Boromir walked slowly toward us. "You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, Gondor will see it done."

_Sure it will, _I thought.

Then we all heard a voice none of them expected. "Heh! Mister Frodo is not goin' anywhere without me." Sam jumped from behind the bushes and stood decidedly by Frodo, crossing his arms.

"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you two even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not." There was a hint of amusement in Elrond's voice.

I saw Merry and Pippin poke their heads out behind two pillars at the other end of the room.

"Wait! We're coming too!"

Elrond turned to watch them come running towards us, his face disapproving.

I managed to keep a straight face, but inside, I was laughing. _Ha ha! Yes! Eyebrows of doom!_

"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us." Merry continued.

"Anyway you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest… thing."

"Well that rules you out, Pip."

"Ten companions… so be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

"Great! Where are we going?" We all looked at Pippin; we were slightly amused, but also slightly annoyed.

Boromir and Legolas were both standing close to me. I almost became claustrophobic. I was also almost sure that there was a reason for this, because when I had watched the movie, they didn't even want to be near each other after what just happened.

Everyone broke up then, Frodo went to see Bilbo, Aragorn went off by himself, and everyone else went to get their gear ready. I suspected I didn't have anything other than the bow, arrows and two short swords behind my chair. I went to collect those and for some reason, Legolas followed me. He waited beside me until I had everything.

"Can I help you?" I asked, standing up to look at him. He looked so much better up-close and in real-life than in the movies. I didn't let this show because something came to his eyes when I looked at him.

He started to say something but then stopped short. He just stared at me, with a smile that spread across his face and then disappeared as fast as it had come. It almost reminded me of William Turner.

"Yes?"

Still nothing. He just continued to stare at me.

"Legolas?"

He blinked and shook his head as if coming out of a trance.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. Everything's fine. It's just… you're so-"

"Don't even think about saying the word beautiful!" I snapped. It's not like I didn't like hearing it, it's just that too many dill-hole guys had said that right before breaking my heart. I realized, too late, how cold hearted and empty I sounded. "I'm sorry. It's just…" well I couldn't tell him that I had my heart broken too many times because that would mean I had died and nothing would make sense. "I'm sorry. Was there something you needed?" I softened my voice.

"Yes. I was wondering what you were doing. Where are you going to go?" He looked a little… upset.

"I don't know. I have no idea what I'm doing. Why?"

"You need some where to stay for the night, don't you? My company and I have an extra room."

"Thank you." I was still wary of everyone, making sure it wasn't some scheme. But everything was real. And once again, I marveled at the fact that the characters I was with were both the characters, and the celebrities that played them in the movies. It was almost unbelievable. The reason it was believable was that I was totally sane and convinced I wasn't dreaming. Well, I wasn't _totally _sane, but you get the picture.

I followed him out of the council room, conscious of Boromir's watchful gaze. Watching him, I started to wish that I had seen him coming into Rivendell. He looked good, jumping off his horse when he first arrived the day before. But I would have plenty of time to see him anyway, so I guess it didn't matter. Much.

He led me to an open room where there were many different branching rooms. Legolas took me to one that was a little separate of the others and I wondered at this.

It was open like the rest, but comfortable, possibly more than the others. I didn't really pay attention.

"I'll be back in a few hours to give you some time to rest up and get ready and such."

"Okay. I'll be here." I said, stating the obvious. I had nothing else to say. Once he left, I flopped down on the bed. It was more comfortable than it looked. I had no idea how I got here, or what had happened right before I got here. I remembered being upset and closing my eyes, and then pain, screams, and nothing. Then I opened my eyes and I was here.

I jumped up and went to an opening to just look. I sensed someone coming and then heard them. When I turned around, Arwen was framed by the doorway. I felt like I knew her from somewhere. I recovered before she could sense my hesitation.

"Arwen." She was absolutely gorgeous.

"My father said you were here. He wanted me to help you, in a way. He wanted to know if there was anything you needed. Maybe an extra set of clothes or something." She talked with a sort of reluctance, and I detected something in her voice, like she didn't want to leave me, or let me leave, or something. I didn't know what it was.

I nodded slowly.

"He also wanted you to know he was, impressed, with the way you handled the council."

"He was?"

She nodded. "Is there anything you need?"

"Um, yes, actually there is. I may need an extra set of clothes."

"Of course. I'll have them given to Legolas and he can bring them to you."

"Thank you."

She turned and left. I could see why Aragorn loved her. She was beautiful, elegant, graceful, very kind, and somewhat familiar. I envied her; she had everything someone could ever want. I quickly pushed the feeling aside, I didn't need it.

Suddenly I realized that I had to keep my origins a secret. As far as anyone needed to know, I was from Mirkwood, where Legolas was from. How I got here from there was a mystery that didn't need any other explanation other than I came with Legolas.

But how long could I keep my secret?

I walked to the balcony, and looked out over Rivendell. It was so beautiful. My mind was still fixated on how I got here, and why I was here. I still didn't know.

I jumped off and walked aimlessly. I couldn't believe I was actually here, in middle earth, and I was staying just around the corner from _Legolas_, not to mention I would probably be spending the next year with him. But then it hit me. I was _here. _

I stopped mid step as the realization sunk in. I was here, not on Earth, where Mandy and Amanda were, and so Mandy could burn my things. I looked around me and noticed for the first time Legolas and Boromir glaring at each other.

Suddenly, Legolas looked up and noticed me at the same time Boromir did.

An ice tear slid down my face.

"Lady Elevain." Boromir took a step towards me and Legolas bowed slightly.

I looked away and continued walking. My things, my paintings, drawings, writings, bow, sword, _everything_, would be burned since I wasn't on Earth.

Why was this cruel fate thrust upon me? I guess it wasn't that cruel since Legolas was here. So what was this?

"What's your name?"

I stopped, startled, and looked down at Pippin. Merry was with him (not that I'm surprised) and they both had awed and worried looks on their faces.

"What?"

"What's your name?"

"Elevain."

"I'm Peregrin Took, but most people call me Pippin."

"And I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck, but most call me Merry."

They bowed low.

"Why are you crying?"

Oops. "Oh it's nothing. Nothing important. Not anymore." I quickly wiped the tears from my face.

"Are you alright? Merry and Pippin aren't bothering you, are they?"

"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took. I bet they are."

I looked up to see Frodo and Sam walking towards us. How am I not hearing anything? "No. they aren't."

"You look sad. Is something wrong? I haven't heard of many elves that cry. Especially not beautiful ones. And you seemed so strong during the council. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine. I guess I'm just saying goodbye to something that has always been a part of me. It might take me a while to get used to it."

"What was it? The part you have to say goodbye to?"

Pippin was so innocent, so young, and he seemed so carefree in the books and movies that I was surprised that he was so sentimental. It really just made me love him more. "there are some things I've been doing my whole life that will be destroyed because I'm not there."

"Why would someone do that? Where is 'there'?"

"'There' is my home land, where I'm from. The people I lived with thought I needed something more in my life and since I'm gone, I can't stop them from what they will do."

All four hobbits looked at me with sympathy in their eyes.

"But you don't have to worry about it. It'll take some time, but I'll say goodbye and everything will be better. By the time we leave, I'll be better." I tried to give them a smile.

"Don't worry. You could probably something to help you get through saying goodbye and you won't have to hurt as much."

"I think I just did."

We spent the next week in Rivendell. I was happy to stay in the room I had, though I was offered two other rooms: one by itself, close to Arwen's room, and one near Boromir's room. If I had to choose between the two, I would've chose next to Arwen, but I didn't have to choose so I stayed where I was.

Besides, I liked knowing that the object of my largest "obsession" as some put it, was right outside the door. I wouldn't exactly call it 'obsessed', something more like, almost in love.

The day after I arrived, Elrond sent Arwen to get me.

"Am I in trouble?" I asked when she got me.

"No, he just wishes to speak with you."

"Oh." So I followed her out of the room and to the study/office/library room where he spoke with Gandalf.

"Thank you, Arwen. You may go now."

She bowed her head to me and left.

"As I understand it, you are Elevain?"

"Yes my lord Elrond."

"And you are accompanying the Fellowship?"

"Yes."

"When and where did you arrive here, in Imladris?"

"Just before the Council started, in the council room." Guess I couldn't keep my secret for long.

"How did you get here, precisely?"

"I- I'm not sure my lord. It's rather complicated."

"Then we shall confer with Gandalf as well." He rang a small bell, summoning a maid or servant and sent them for Gandalf. He came within five minutes, and as you can expect, I was nervous the entire time.

"Lord Elrond, Lady Elevain."

I just bowed my head, unable to speak.

"Gandalf, it seems as though we've reached some, complications." Elrond said, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh really?"

"Yes. Would you care to explain, when, where, and how you arrived here?"

"I arrived just before the council started, in between you and… Prince Legolas. I'm not exactly sure how I got here. It is rather complicated."

"Well, then, we shall look into it. Shall we sit?" Elrond gestured towards a few seats and we sat down. "So tell us, what happened before you arrived here."

"I was skiing with my two friends, and I think a car crashed into me, and suddenly I was here."

"Where were you before you arrived?"

"In Greenland… its far, far away from here… in another world."

"Past the grey havens? I've never heard of this 'greenland' that you speak of," Elrond said.

"Try a different universe…" I supplied. "this place, this beautiful place, doesn't exist where I come from, just like my world doesn't' exist here"

"What are skiing and a… car?" Gandalf asked,

"Umm, well, skiing is like, sliding down a hill covered in snow with… long, things strapped to your feet. And a car… is like a cart with out horses and they can go… really fast. A metal monster… I guess."

Elrond nodded and Gandalf stroked his beard, contemplating.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"It's not a matter of believing and disbelieving, Elevain. It's a matter of determining if your presence with effect the Fellowships quest in a good way, or in a bad way." Elrond said.

Oh boy.

"Elrond, if I may be so bold, I do believe that I could have had something to do with her… appearance."

Gandalf say what?

"Please, explain."

"It is quite possible that I heard her, in a way."

"You heard me?" I can't believe this.

"It was very strange. I heard someone calling my name with some sort of plea. I tried to answer, but I suppose that instead of answering like one would answer a question, I answered by summoning her here."

"So, that car crashed into me because you were trying to summon me here, and if you hadn't heard me, I wouldn't be here?"

"It is quite possible."

"That's impossible!" I exclaimed.

"No, it's implausible, nothing is impossible." Gandalf corrected.

_Except slamming a revolving door,_ I thought to myself.

"Well, I suppose we should hope for the best," Elrond said. I forgot he was here. "I will allow you to go with the Fellowship, although it would be best to keep your origins to yourself, until you believe it is necessary to reveal them."

"There is one minor glitch that I must mention before this committee is let out. She is not a full elf; yet. The elf in her still has yet to fully develop, but it will in due time."

"Very well. I shall see you in the future, Lady Elevain. You may go now."

"Thank you." I sighed a breath of relief, left the room, and headed back to my own.

The room had a nice balcony, and I really liked to just stand there looking around. I went on a lot of walks, and on every single walk, I saw Legolas. He was either walking, or sitting, or climbing a tree, or laying/sitting in the roots of the tree. I can't say I didn't like seeing him on my walks, because it wouldn't be true.

It was when I saw Boromir on my walks, who was being less than conspicuous about him watching me, that I got uncomfortable and went back to my room. Only I didn't go by the other rooms that mine was connected to, I would lose him somewhere, and then move from tree to tree and then climb the one next to my balcony and hide in there. If he knew I was there, he wouldn't hesitate to come and talk to me. I knew that for sure.

He had come to the rooms that Legolas had, asking to speak to me. I'd seen him following me on my walk and so I went back to my room. And he followed me there. Then he and legolas had gotten in an argument.

That was the last time I ever went that way when I knew he was watching. So I evaded him as much as possible.

It wasn't that hard. I just had to go to the range.

I liked it there, it was rather peaceful. very much so. and where i thought i would be shunned, like i was at home by... someone, i was welcomed. perhaps Elrond spoke with some of the elves and then they spread the word around... or something. when i didn't feel like going to the range, i would go to the 'hand-to-hand' combat field... if that's what it was called. i was welcomed there as well, and also got a few tips on how to improve. i guess i wasn't as good as i had been at home, and it wasn't as easy to avoid Boromir at the sword fighting field.

But anyway, I stayed clear of Boromir as much as possible until we had to leave.

This leads us to today, the last day spent in Rivendell. I stood on my balcony, watching the world go by, leaning on the rail and my elbows. The elves passing by waved and smiled.

The sound of a running horse reached my ears, and instantly I knew it was Legolas. He rode his horse, Glostriana, a lot. He was a good rider too, and I liked to watch him. His horse stopped about 15 - 20 feet away from where I was standing, and he jumped off, just like in the movie when he first arrived here. I smiled, unable to contain it. Everything about him made me smile. Whenever I saw him I smiled, when I heard him I smiled, when I heard his name I smiled. Even if I just thought about him I smiled.

I sighed, and stared at Glostriana. She was absolutely beautiful. I would've loved to ride her, and there was really only one thing I would give to ride her.

A kiss. It doesn't sound like much, but it was the only thing I would give. It would be my first kiss. Ever. I had never kissed anyone before, so it was a fair trade, I thought. Then I thought about who I would have to kiss. Legolas. I started thinking about what I would give for a kiss from Legolas. What about a ride on Glostriana? Ha, yeah. I'd give my first kiss to ride her and then give my ride to get my first kiss. And this presented a problem; which would I enjoy more: The kiss or the ride? My head started hurting.

I sighed again, trying to shake off the pain.

Said elf looked up at me, and smiled the smile that I had labeled, "Heartbreaker."

My knees went weak, and I looked away after a small smile, my cheeks aflame. Definitely the kiss. I would have to spend the next year or so with him, and in my condition, there was no way I would make it the whole time without saying something that would probably make him scared of me. Oh but it would be worth it, if he gave me "heartbreaker" again. I went to change for the feast that Elrond had prepared for us for our last day here.

I had to wear dresses all the time because 1) the people helping me wouldn't let me wear pants, 2) I hadn't got the extra set of clothes from Arwen yet, and 3) someone had hidden the clothes I had been wearing when I first arrived here.

Someone came in, and when I turned around, she was carrying my original outfit, and another one, presumably for me, but it wasn't the clothes that made me cringe and stagger back, as if trying to escape another punch from someone.

The elf that carried the clothes was obviously trying her hardest to contain her anger, though why she would be angry with me was a mystery. Her eyes held a fire that would've scorched me and killed me then and there if looks could kill.


	2. Strange Dreams and Rocks

The next morning, we gathered in a glade beneath a stone arch.

The clothes Arwen had sent to me were in a pack, like everyone else's and the pack was stored on Bill the pony. She had sent, surprisingly, pants, and another thinner skirt. I tried to forget the night before, the she-elf, Amnyca, was clearly upset about the way Legolas had reacted to me, I just didn't know why as he never fell in love or was married. As far as I knew. She was the one that had brought the clothes to me.

Elrond came to bid us farewell. "The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him no oath nor bond is laid, to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all free folk go with you." He spread his arms and Legolas, Aragorn and I bowed our heads with our right hands on our hearts.

As we looked up, Gandalf spoke, "The fellowship awaits the ring-bearer."

Frodo turned slowly towards us, and then led the way out of the glade, turning left after passing under the arch.

I walked with Legolas, next to Sam and Bill. That's when I realized this was going to be a very long journey, and my feet were going to be very sore by the end.

We headed south from Rivendell, passing over fields, woods, and hillsides. I recognized one hillside with two boulders on either side that we passed through. First Gandalf, then Legolas, then me, Gimli, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Sam and Bill, Boromir, and last was Aragorn.

There were many times when we stopped as the days passed by, and I would watch Boromir and Legolas talk. I was never close enough to know what they were talking about, but neither of them was happy about what the other was saying.

For some reason, Legolas tended to keep me close to him. He kept pace with me, if I walked behind or ahead. It didn't bother me but it did bother Boromir. Any chance he got, he would sit as close to me as he dared, not wanting to upset Legolas or possibly myself, I couldn't choose between the two. I had no Idea why. Aragorn kept close to me as well, but I didn't care much.

Gandalf told us our course, we hold south until the gap of Rohan and then head east to Mordor.

We reached the rock outcrop by nightfall. We stopped and set up camp. Everything was fine until after everything was done. That's when I heard Legolas and Boromir. I stood there listening to them for a while and they never noticed me. It was pretty entertaining, listening to them.

"You will take away her life, Boromir! The whole reason she is an elf will diminish!"

"And you will force her through a long, painful life, Legolas!"

"Elves don't know pain!"

"They will! She won't know anything but pain!"

"What pain? Surely not that pain of grief? The pain of death?"

"She will die old!"

"Elves don't die from age! We die from battle or from a broken heart! If she chooses mortality she will die young!"

"She will die old and without pain! The age that someone is supposed to die at!"

"We are young! Elves live forever! If she stays immortal, she will never die! Not in battle, and not of a broken heart! I won't let it happen! But if she chooses immortality and to stay with you, she will die when you leave her!"

"I would never leave her!"

"Then what do you call death? I would never have the chance to leave her!"

"What are you two talking about?"

They both jumped at the sound of my voice.

"It's nothing," Legolas said.

"Okay. What were you two bickering about?"

"It's nothing." He tried again.

I mimicked him in a high voice. "Oh, we weren't bickering about anything, Elevain. We weren't bickering at all." My eyes turned to ice and my voice went cold. "I'm not deaf, Legolas."

"But we weren't bickering!" Boromir tried it too.

"Of course you weren't. You were just arguing. What in middle-earth were you fighting about?"

"This rock." Boromir bent down and picked up a rock.

"A rock?" I stared at him. Talk about idiotic. "You Boromir, son of a steward, and you, Legolas, son of a king, two grown men, were fighting over a rock? Is this some kind of territorial dispute?"

"No, it is not," Legolas said.

"That's what I thought," I replied, throwing the rock behind me. "Besides, I'm pretty sure rocks don't die, and I'm absolutely positive that they don't have a choice between mortality and immortality. So, would you please tell me who you were fighting over?"

"It's nothing important."

I sighed. "Okay, look." I put my arms over their necks and pulled their heads down to mine. "You can tell me, or I can just leave you alone. And I'm pretty sure you don't want either of those to happen."

"What makes you think that?"

"Really Boromir? Do you think I'm blind? You both watch every move I make. I almost find it disturbing. But, what do I know; I'm just a deaf, blind, elf. I don't even think that's possible, but it's what I am."

"You are not!"

"Of course I'm not, Legolas. And so, the choice is yours. You can tell me, or I could just not talk to you; either of you. It's your choice. Go ahead and sleep on it. Have fun." I backed away, and let my hands begin to slip off their backs. But when I turned away, I turned towards Boromir so my hand would fall off Legolas' back after my hand on Boromir's back. I really hoped they didn't notice.

When I thought about what they had said when they were fighting, it sounded like a she-elf. I was the only she-elf they both knew. _You don't suppose they could be fighting over you? _I asked myself. I shook my head to myself, but didn't dismiss the idea entirely. It was a good possibility. And they had never met before the council, so how could they possibly be fighting?

Then I thought about the way they looked at me: Boromir's was scary and I was perfectly terrified of him. But Legolas' was different; he had this certain light in his eyes when he looked at me. I saw it every time. I wasn't' scared of him at all. Boromir had the same look, but I knew what he was going to do and I knew he would go mad; which is why I was afraid.

It made my first idea (of them fighting over me) become all the more possible.

We all settled into sleep. I was a little way away from everyone else, just for a precaution. I was a little uncomfortable being the only woman.

That night I dreamed. I dreamed I finally knew who Legolas and Boromir were fighting over and why.

It had been about me, but I couldn't remember that. I didn't know where we were or what was going on until I realized Legolas' arms were wrapped around me; and I was happy. He whispered in my ear, "I love you." A smile touched my lips. And then his arms disappeared. Someone took my shoulders; then they whispered as well. "I love you." It was Boromir's voice. My smile faded and my eyes widened. I couldn't say anything. I felt a knife at my throat. "What's the matter?" I couldn't move. My throat went dry. He gave a dark laugh and left me. I fell to my knees gasping and holding my neck. When I looked around, I couldn't see anyone. Slowly I got to my feet and started running, searching. But searching for what? And then I saw a sight that just about broke my heart: Legolas was sitting against a tree. His face was pale and when I checked, he wasn't breathing and his heart wasn't beating. "No!" I started crying and fell into his lap. When I landed I was conscious again, curled up.

I didn't know why I had started crying or half of what I had dreamed about. All I remembered was Legolas' pale face and him not alive. I sat up and rubbed my eyes open.

The moon was bright, lighting the whole setting. I saw a very slight silhouette of someone. As my eyes adjusted, I saw them turn, and I could make out Legolas' features.

I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got up and rushed over to him. He looked a bit surprised to see me coming towards him. I hugged him without thinking. I could hear his heart beating and his even breathing.

He hesitated before hugging me back.

I realized I was happy here and I felt like I never wanted him to let go. Why was that? I didn't have time to answer that. "You're alive."

"What in Middle-Earth are you talking about? Yes I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be?"

I pulled back, and thought I felt him restrain a little before letting me go. "I'm sorry, I over react to dreams." I shook my head, not knowing what to do and feeling my face burn. It was probably glowing. _Nice job dude. You probably made him think you're dreaming about him. Just great. That'll probably make the situation between him and Boromir even worse... wait; you don't even know who it's about. So how could you make it worse? _

"What do you mean?"

I noticed how he never really let me go. There were a lot of times like this that should have been enough of a hint. But a hint for what? "Well, sometimes when I have dreams, I tend to believe them."

_What in middle-earth are you doing?! You are the only one awake with him and you're all alone. _

_I don't see a problem with this. _

_What happens when someone else wakes up? What will they think? _

_Who cares what they'll think?_

_What if Boromir wakes up? What if it really was about you? What do you think will happen then? _

_Oh, that's a good point. _

_Exactly._

_But, I can't just say good night! What will he think?_

_Who cares? _

_Oh just shut up! I'll think of something… I have the next watch right? Never mind don't answer that. _Stupid voices in my head. Why do I keep fighting with them?

Legolas was still watching my face, and looking a bit worried. "Are you alright?"

"Me? Yes I'm fine. Sorry I just had a little spacing out moment."

_Spacing out moment? What the heck are you talking about? _

_Just shut up already._ "Umm, do you want me to take the next watch? I could finish this one and take the next one. I really don't mind, I probably couldn't get back to sleep anyway."

"Okay," he said trailing off. Then he left me alone and went to where he had been sleeping earlier. When I was sure he was asleep, I sat on a rock and just kind of sat there waiting for something to happen.

Nothing did however, and I was exhausted by the time I made my last round around the camp. I woke Aragorn and told him nothing happened. He looked at me in the dark like there was something wrong. "What?"

"You look exhausted."

"I feel it."

"How long have you been on watch?"

"I don't know. Maybe a few hours." Maybe more than a few hours. I had no idea.

"It's about two hours before sunrise. When did you start?"

"I have no idea. Sometime during Legolas' watch."

His eyes widened. "You should have woke me up two hours ago. Elevain, you did three watches." He shook his head. "You need sleep. And lots of it. Go on, and I'll have someone wake you up later."

Now I realized why Arwen loved Aragorn. He was amazing. "Thank you." I stumbled over to my sleeping place, and though the rocks were terribly uncomfortable, I fell asleep instantly.

Frodo woke me up in the middle of the morning. Merry and Pippin were practicing sword fighting with Boromir, and Aragorn was laughing, whilst smoking his pipe and Sam was getting food ready. It looked almost exactly like the movie, except for the part where Legolas stood watching me. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. It probably seemed a bit odd that I would be sleeping like a normal person, not like elves did. I didn't really care. I had always been a little different. Well, as different as I could be.

I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. He had stopped looking at me so I didn't have to worry about him catching me. But then I realized I wasn't breathing and when he looked at me again, I looked quickly away, blushing and suddenly able to breathe. _What in Middle-earth is going on?! _

I thought about last night, the way I felt when I woke up, when I saw him, they way I felt in his arms… _what is going on?! Ugh, I wish I knew. _I tried to remember my dream, what it had been about. He said something, but I just couldn't remember.

I was staring at something, well nothing really. I knew I had a blank expression on my face, with sightless eyes, not blinking.

Suddenly I heard Legolas bound swiftly up the rocks to look out at the horizon.

I knew what he saw; black carrion birds, spies of Saruman.

I stood up; breaking off my stare to watch as they slowly, or rather quickly drew nearer. I could see each individual bird.

Being an elf definitely had its advantages.

"What is that?" Sam asked.

"Nothing, it's just a whiff of cloud." Gimli responded.

I went to him, about to flick his ears, but stopped when Boromir spoke.

"It's moving fast… against the wind." Boromir and Aragorn stood up both holding either of the hobbits.

I looked towards the birds again.

"Cerebain from Dunland!" Legolas and I both said at the same time.

"Hide!"

We all scrambled about trying to get everything hidden before the birds got here. Luckily we did and were all safely hidden by the time they got to the rock outcrop.

Their caw was loud, and annoying. For some reason I found my self with Legolas; again. And Boromir's face was a bit annoyed. It was amazing how fast he changed from the man who had been playing with the hobbits to the man who was ticked off with Legolas.

This was insane. How could they both be mad at each other, go through with this quest, and bother themselves about me all the time, too? I was so caught up with my thoughts, I didn't even notice when the birds were gone.

Legolas helped me out of the hiding place, and I went directly to my makeshift bed to gather my stuff. I wrapped my thick skirt around my waist and put on another long sleeved shirt. I could hear Gandalf talking about having to take the pass of Caradhras.

I glanced up at the mountain towering over us.

This would be interesting.


	3. Deadly Dances on Snow

We hiked our way up the mountainside. It wasn't that steep, but it was snowy and cold, and the increasing elevation made it hard to breathe.

I could hear Frodo's labored breathing, and knew that he would fall anytime now.

It was a few minutes before he did, and Aragorn, who brought up the rear of our train, rushed to help him.

"Frodo!"

We all looked back, concerned, and saw him fumbling around his neck for the ring. But it wasn't there.

I saw it glistening on the ground, but then my vision was cut off by Boromir's large figure, picking it up. _Oh great. _I started to make my way down to Boromir.

"Boromir."

He was oblivious to Aragorn's call. "It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt… over so small a thing. Such a little thing."

I was next to him now, and when Aragorn called to him again, I pushed his head to the side and walked away. "Give the ring to Frodo," I called over my shoulder. "Dim-wit." Legolas smirked. Boromir's heavy footsteps echoed through my ears as he made his way down to Frodo.

I knew of the death glare that Aragorn was giving him, and his hand was protectively on his sword.

"As you wish…" Boromir paused to hand over the ring. The metal clang sounded hollow and sinister. He ruffled Frodo's hair. "I care not."

"Sure you don't," I muttered. _You're a bloody liar, Boromir! _

We resumed climbing, and Frodo resumed his haggard breathing.

As we went farther up the mountain, it became increasingly colder, and snow started to fall, first slowly, then faster and harder.

The company was chest deep in snow after just a few minutes. Everyone except Legolas and I, that is.

We were able to walk lightly on top of the snow. It was awesome. I had never expected it to be this much fun.

As Legolas bounded ahead, I contented myself with prancing around. Probably not the best idea in the world, but it was definitely fun.

Suddenly, I stopped, mid skip, and listened to the voice being carried by the wind.

"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya!" (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained! )

_Oh, crud. _

"There is a fell voice on the air."

"It's Saruman!"

There was a loud rumbling overhead. Everyone looked up and ducked covering their heads. But I just stood there staring at the wall of rock and snow that was about to crush my head. Luckily, Legolas realized what I was doing. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the side. _He has very long arms, _I thought. _Then again, he is much taller than me. _I threw my hands over my face and cringed into the side of the mountain. At least that's what I thought. His arms wrapped around me, almost overlapping the whole way. When I opened my eyes, I realized that I had cringed into him and not the mountain.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf we must turn back!" Aragorn yelled.

"No!" Gandalf got up on the ledge and spoke to the mountain. "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!" (Sleep, Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!)

His cry was drowned out by Saruman's. I could barely here it above the howling wind, but it was there. "Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya; taltuva notto-carinnar!" (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!)

Suddenly, lightning cracked overhead and another mound of snow and ice came down upon us. Legolas grabbed Gandalf and pulled him off the edge just before the snowfall hit. It buried us completely.

When I opened my eyes, I pushed my head above the surface of the snow. I looked around and Legolas' golden hair appeared next to me. I saw the whole company push their way out of the snow, and found it something to giggle about, but I forced myself not to.

Gandalf's gray beard was caked white with snow, Aragorn's hair was wet and separated, and Boromir's hair was blowing wildly in the wind. Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin's faces were red from the cold and Gimli's helmet was frosted over. I probably looked just as bad.

"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir yelled, trying to be louder than the wind.

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argued.

Gimli spoke next. "If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria."

I knew what awaited us there, and so did Gandalf. It was a while before he spoke again. "Let the Ring-bearer decide."

"We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the hobbits!" Boromir yelled, again trying to be louder than the wind.

I looked at Merry and Pippin and they were both deathly pale, as were Frodo and Sam.

_And the death of Bill. He's probably just about frozen solid now. _

"Frodo?" Gandalf said, a bit reluctantly.

Frodo hesitated. "We will go through the mines."

"So be it."

I knew what would happen, how it would go over with everyone. I just didn't know how it would go over with me. Sure I had seen it many times over and over again, but what would happen when I saw it for real, when it happened right before my eyes to someone I had actually talked to and knew so well?

We turned around and headed back the way we had come.

* * *

**A/N: sorry this is a really short chapter... i didn't really plan the breaks very well. **

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo  
**


	4. The Watcher and ignoring people

**A/N: i don't get how people could save Gandalf....... it doesn't make any sense....... but i do get how people could save Haldir as he not even supposed to _be _at Helms deep so i don't see why he has to die. would that make people mad if someone saved him????? **

**disclaimer: i do now own any of the Lord of the Rings (even though i really want to...) so when i rule the world, i will own it.... but not until i rule the world...... which seems very unlikely at this point in time....... **

**on with the story!!!!!!  
**

* * *

We walked around the pond and Frodo walked ahead with Gandalf. I knew they were talking about the ring. Everyone walked ahead when I stopped, breathless at the sight of the walls of Moria. They were so… tall.

That is, everyone except Legolas. Again. I could tell Boromir also wanted to but he didn't. Gimli stayed behind with us to boast to us about how great dwarves were. "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." He began knocking on the rock walls, trying to find the doors. It was getting dark now.

"Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten." Gandalf said.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas replied. I giggled knowing that by the end of this long journey, they would be best friends. Legolas smiled down at me and Gimli kind of growled. I giggled again.

Gandalf swept his hand across the wall. He said something about how the doors only reflect starlight and moonlight, but I was too busy looking around me to notice. He tried everything to get the doors open. When he finally had enough he threw his staff down. "Oh, it's useless," he said with a huff and sat down.

Sam and Aragorn were taking everything off of Bill the pony. We took our small packs and set them beside us.

Sam was upset having to let Bill go, but it was for the best.

Merry and Pippin started to throw rocks into the lake, but Aragorn stopped them. "Do not disturb the water." We were all silent for a while, and then suddenly:

"It's a riddle," Frodo said. "Speak 'friend' and enter. What's the elvish word for friend?"

"Mellon…"

The doors slowly opened. Everyone got up and slowly followed Gandalf in, grabbing their packs as they went.

"Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin. And they call it a mine. A mine!"

I rolled my eyes. Gandalf's staff glowed.

"This is no mine, it's a tomb!"

I looked around. There were corpses everywhere. I shivered.

Legolas grabbed an arrow from one and threw it away. "Goblins!"

Gimli was howling.

Boromir and Aragorn drew their swords and Legolas fit an arrow in his bow. Instinctively I grabbed at my back and also took out my bow and arrow.

"We make for the gap of Rohan. We should never have come here. Now get out of here, get out!" We all started for the way out. That's when a slimy tentacle wrapped itself around Frodo's ankle and pulled him into the lake. Everyone was in a flurry. Legolas had just enough time to order me to stay before going out to help save Frodo. All I could do was just stand there. I frowned.

My foot began to itch. I had a small dagger on my ankle, just high enough for my skirt to hide.

Suddenly, I heard Gandalf yell for everyone to get into the mines and a loud roar as Legolas shot the watcher's eye. Everyone was in the mine and there was a loud rumble as large slabs of rock blocked the way out. I realized I had spaced out on what was happening; again.

"We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs, in the deep places of the world. Quietly now. It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence may go unnoticed."

So we walked. We walked deeper into the mines and deeper into shadow, the only light coming from Gandalf's staff. I felt sorry for Aragorn and Boromir because they were soaking wet, and it was freezing in the mines. Soon I lost track of time, but I knew it was a four-day journey to the other side, so by the time we got to balin's tomb, it will have been four days. But that was a long way off.

We stopped frequently to rest and for Gandalf to remember which way to go. During these stops, I became popular among the hobbits. I grew to love them like family, as I did Gandalf and Aragorn. Boromir and Legolas continued to argue but never within my earshot. If I came close enough to hear them, they stopped in mid sentence.

Merry and Pippin constantly came to sit with me and I had to laugh as they told jokes. Quietly of course. I wasn't afraid to laugh and it often lightened the mood, especially between Boromir and Legolas. Pippin became closer than a brother; I loved Pippin. Sam was quiet most of the time, and Frodo constantly talked to Gandalf. I talked with Aragorn sometimes, but not too often and usually it was just a greeting. When it was a conversation, we talked about absolutely nothing, just something I would pull off the top of my head. He enjoyed listening to my random comments; at least that's what I gathered. One time, he said, "now I see why Arwen loves you." That confused me, but he refused to elaborate.

I talked with Gandalf many times, and I loved to hear his deep voice. It seemed to comfort me a little more each time. He soon became a close friend that I loved. This would end up just making his death even worse for me.

Gimli became like a little brother, someone who is so annoying but deep down you still love them. I never let anyone know this.

During one of the stops, I switched my thick skirt for my thinner one. It would be easier to run in and would let me cool down, as it was a little warm down here.

We passed through the great cavern that Gandalf said was dug for mithril.

"Bilbo had a shirt of Mithril rings that Thorin gave him." He said.

"Oh that was a kingly gift," Gimli replied.

"Yes! I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the Shire."

I saw Frodo pause slightly. He was the only that knew he had the shirt on. Well other than me of course, but I didn't let anyone know.

We continued on and up stairs. Very steep stairs. Pippin almost fell on top of Merry.

We finally got to the place that Gandalf didn't remember and we rested. We sat around doing nothing really. The hobbits, Merry and Pippin were smoking along with Gandalf and Gimli. Boromir and Legolas stood away from each other, although they both continued to watch me.

"So, you two going to tell me who you were fighting over?" I asked them.

"Elevain, it's kind of hard to say it out loud." Legolas said, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Oh I see. So you think I won't understand what you would say… okay." I turned away from him, resting my chin in my hand, and resting my elbow on my knee.

"No it's not that, it's really hard to explain. Elevain, are you listening?"

"Oh I'm sorry, Aragorn did you hear something?"

He chuckled at my sarcasm. "Depends on what you heard."

"I'm not sure. I think it was something like a whisper, or a blow of wind or something."

"Yes, I think I heard something similar. It sounded like it came from Legolas, he might have been talking."

"Will you both stop? This isn't very funny."

"Oh look! There it was again… I wonder what it is."

"Elevain, this really isn't funny. It's not nice to ignore people."

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah, I think it was Boromir."

Legolas and Boromir were getting agitated. It was funny to look at them.

"Why won't you stop ignoring us and talk to us? It really isn't funny."

"That's weird because I thought it was." Aragorn tried to hide his laughter, but it didn't work to well.

"If you really want me to talk to you again, then tell me who you were fighting over."

They glowered at me.

"Fine, gosh. I guess I'll just have to find out on my own, if it'll make you stop glaring at me like that. geesh."

An awkward silence followed. And then Frodo started and jumped up, starting over the edge. I looked with him and I saw a thin, bony figure crawling, or more like jumping from rock to rock up the side. He looked like a spider or a fish, he had agility and speed. It was Gollum.

I gasped, turned around in my seat, and covered my mouth. I glanced at Legolas standing next to me. He looked at me closely, shifting slightly.

"Are you alright?" he asked me.

Was that concern I saw masking his eyes? Running wildly in his voice?

"I'm fine." I said. When I looked away, I was sure there was something going on in Legolas' head that involved me. But I just didn't know what it was. Boromir was also watching me closely. Now it started to disturb me, though why it hadn't until now I had no idea.

We moved on shortly after.


	5. rock, paper, BALROG! i win

"He's remembered!" Merry said with excitement.

"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here. When in doubt Merriadoc, always follow your nose." Gandalf explained.

We reached the great hall, and I stood in awe. It would still be some time before we reached the tomb, but it was close enough so I knew we were almost done with this wretched journey with no clean, 'airy' air, just stuffy air.

Soon, we all saw the tomb at the same time, but it was Gimli that ran on ahead.

"Gimli!" Gandalf tried to stop him, but Gimli was an unstoppable force of nature.

We followed Gimli into the chamber, where he was kneeling down, chanting softly to himself.

"We must move on, we cannot linger!" Legolas said to Aragorn. He said nothing. Gandalf handed his hat and staff to Pippin. Then he bent down and picked up the large battered book from the corpse by the tomb. As he began reading, we looked around, now uncomfortable. "They are coming." Gandalf said. And then Pippin knocked the skeleton on the edge of the well over, breaking the silence. My face burned. I had a habit of getting embarrassed a lot, even if it wasn't my fault.

"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf scolded. I sympathized for Pippin; I knew how he must feel.

Suddenly, the drums began.

"Frodo!" Sam said. Frodo drew sting, glowing blue.

"Orcs!" Legolas replied.

"Get back! You stay close to Gandalf! Elevain get back!" Aragorn ordered the four hobbits, and me. Boromir ran to look out the doors and 3 arrows whipped past his face. He took another quick peek around the door before he pulled them shut. "They have a cave troll," he said in mock relief. Legolas, Aragorn, and Boromir braced the door with the many weapons from the corpses littering the floor. When they were done with that, they stood in a loose line around the tomb, ready to fight whatever came through the door. Except Legolas and Boromir. Of course. They both started for me but Legolas was closer.

He grabbed my wrist and led me away from the rest and again hid me behind a wall of rocks.

"What are you doing?" I asked a little upset.

"Stay here," he ordered, concern again thickly coloring his voice. Although he tried to hide it, I still heard it.

"Bu-"

"Please?" he interrupted. "Just please stay. I'll come back for you, don't worry I won't forget." He hesitated a little, and then gave me a quick kiss on my cheek before he took one last longing look at me and rounded the corner, leaving me alone.

I was shocked. What just happened? I touched my cheek, almost about to lose my balance. Then I recovered and remembered where I was. "Humph." I sat down._ Why should I have to stay here? I mean really, the hobbits can fight but not me? Bloody over-protective elf. I bet even Boromir wouldn't hide me._

The doors cracked many times before they finally gave way. The troll thundered in soon after. I stood up and took a quick peek around the corner. I watched in horror as orcs swarmed in around it like ants. It was huge. I looked away and tried not to think about him, Legolas fighting the ugly creatures, and the troll. Hearing the many slashes and smacks, I cringed. And then I realized that my love for him could be more than family love. Then, thinking about family, I realized that they had become my family. Merry, Pippin, Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Aragorn, even Gimli, had become my family; my brothers, father figures, and Gandalf was like a grandfather. I would not be able to see him die. I jus couldn't. I wasn't so sure about Boromir, knowing what he was capable of, maybe he was more of an acquaintance.

I was a mess, my hair flying every which way, my heart pounding and my face smudged with dirt and grime. I smoothed my hair back, trying to get under control but it was useless. Thinking about someone getting hurt made me frantic.

Then, right around the corner, I heard snorts and growls. I backed away from the corner and two of the most hideous orcs came around.

"Well looky here," the first one grumbled. "A pretty little she elf."

"It's a pity," the second one said. "A pretty little thing like this shouldn't have to die this way."

They started backing me into the corner.

My breath quickened, coming in shallow gasps. Anger boiled inside of me. "Who says I'm going to die?"

Then they attacked. I drew one of my swords and fought them off. At first, it was a fair fight. However, after a while, it became too much of an effort to try and fight them. I got scratched a few times, but nothing serious. This wouldn't do. All the fighting moves my instructor had taught me, they were just to keep us both alive. But now, if I kept this up, this fight would never end. _Ugh! I wish I hadn't gone to Greenland!_ I had one more session to do with my instructor; he was supposed to teach me how to deliver a killing blow. But now I would never learn it. I guess I would have to teach myself.

I heard Frodo groaning and then shortly after, the distinct screams of merry and pippin.

I had to get down on one knee and block both their blows for a short time. I held them off long enough, with one hand, to grab my dagger and stab one to get him off. I shifted from my knee to my foot and with lightning speed I twisted out from under the second and slashed his throat. As I leapt over him, I turned my sword in my hand and stabbed the other to finish him off. I yanked out my dagger, and paid my attention to the other. But my first blow had been enough. I heard the troll groan and I cleaned my weapons on the orcs dirty jerkins. The ground shuddered slightly as the troll fell over, dead. Legolas and I almost ran into each other as he rounded the corner to come get me, and I turned around, about to leave.

"I thought I told you to stay." He groaned, spotting the two orcs I had killed.

"I did. They came to me. I guess hiding me won't totally keep me from danger."

He sighed, shaking his head. I sheathed my sword when he held out his hand waiting for mine. I put my dagger back on my ankle. He sighed again impatiently. I stood and he pushed his hand farther towards me. Hesitantly, I hovered my hand over his until he finally grabbed it and led me around to the others. They were all surrounding Frodo. He's fine, I thought to myself; although, I was really concentrated on my hand in Legolas'.

Boromir kept glancing at our hands, and made me even more uncomfortable then I already felt about him.

"That spear would've skewered a wild boar," Aragorn was saying.

"I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye." Gandalf replied.

Frodo unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his mithril shirt.

"Mithril! You are full of surprises, Master Baggins." Gimli said.

I was surprised at how shiny it was. It was as if it was glowing. We stood in awe of the shirt, breathing hard. Then the drums began again.

"To the bridge of Khazad-dûm!" Gandalf said, looking away in horror. We ran out of the room and back into the great hall.

Goblins came pouring down the pillars. They surrounded us easily I stared at them all, dirty, slimy, with huge eyes and ugly faces. Slowly, I took my bow from my back, not wanting to make any sudden movements. Legolas was jerking his bow from side to side. When I reached up again to get an arrow, there was a loud noise, either a growl or a stomp of some huge beast. "Oh no," I breathed when we all whipped around to see a fiery glow coming from another chamber down the hall. Legolas threw a glance at me. I saw his fear stricken eyes. The goblins scrambled back up the pillars and my bow was back on my back.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked, frustrated.

"A balrog," Gandalf replied. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you… Run!"

We ran. Boromir almost ran over the edge of some stairs that got cut off. Legolas went and grabbed him so he wouldn't tumble over. I was surprised because they were still fighting. We continued running down the narrow staircase until we got to the gap. Legolas jumped over effortlessly, and then Gandalf, and then Boromir with Merry and Pippin. Aragorn grabbed my waist and tossed me effortlessly across but it was short. And of course that's when a goblin decided to shoot at us. So, when Aragorn tossed me, Legolas shot the goblin and I slipped, screaming into the black abyss. Luckily, I grabbed the edge, but I just hung there.

Legolas, upon seeing this, shoved his bow at Gandalf and took my right wrist. "Boromir!"

He grabbed my other wrist and they started to pull me up. Just then, another arrow whizzed down and embedded itself in my left calf.

I just about screeched in pain and collapsed when I was finally up. Merry and Pippin grabbed Gimli's beard and he scolded them for it. There was another rumble, a large slab of rock broke off the ceiling and crashed down onto the section of stair that Aragorn and Frodo were standing on, right behind them. It started swaying. I was still clinging to Legolas and I knew I wouldn't be able to watch, so I hid my face in his chest. My leg throbbed with pain from the arrow that was still embedded there; my hands stung and my feet ached. My mind was so full of all this pain, so I jumped when the other set of stairs collided with our set. More pain shot through my body.

Soon everyone was running down the stairs again. Gimli had Legolas' bow, and even the hobbits were ahead of Legolas and I as he was more carrying me than I was limping. When we reached the end of the stairs, Legolas swung me up into his arms, like I was nothing, and without jostling my leg. He even ran like I was nothing, and soon we were with the others.

After a while though, I got tired of being carried. "Put me down. I'm not that helpless. I can at least walk." Or limp, I thought. He gently set me down and I started to limp towards the bridge.

"Well then if you're going to walk, you need to take this out." He went to take the arrow out, but I just broke it in half.

I continued on and then stopped in front of the bridge. Oh, heck no! I could feel the heat of the balrog on the back of my neck through my hair.

The bridge was wide enough for two full-grown men to walk abreast. Their feet, however, would've been slipping off the edge.

"Elevain, go!" Legolas ordered, giving me a little push. "Go!"

I shook my head and went across as fast as I could. But when I reached the stairs on the other side, Boromir pulled me up and I heard Legolas hiss. That was weird. I looked up at him, trying to understand what was wrong.

He had that look in his eyes again. That's when it started bothering me. However much I didn't want it to, it still did. I had seen it too many times. I wanted to know what it was. But right now we didn't have time for that.

I heard Frodo yell to Gandalf, but he didn't notice, or seem to notice.

"I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor… The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udûn!"

We watched on in horror.

"Go back to the shadow!"

The balrog snorted and stepped onto the bridge.

"You-shall not-pass!" Gandalf bellowed. His staff hit the bridge with such force that there was a blinding white light.

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**A/N: oh no! *le gasp!* what now? haha i think everyone knows what happens now... if u don't, well then, i guess you'll have to wait to find out. teehee! ^_^ **

**review please! **

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo  
**


	6. Loss and Fainting

The balrog took no notice and with another step onto the bridge, fell.

Gandalf turned to us and started to follow, but not fast enough. Cracking its whip, the balrog pulled Gandalf down with him. I knew what was happening. And it suddenly dawned on me that I would not see him for a very long time. "Fly you fools!" were his last words before he slipped off the edge and into the black abyss.

Frodo cried out in dismay: "NO!"

Boromir grabbed him before he could follow Gandalf. "Aragorn!" He picked Frodo up and ran back up the steps. He looked like someone kidnapping someone.

I stood there, frozen. I thought I had been prepared for this, but I had been wrong. I didn't eve notice the pain in my leg anymore. Aragorn ran past me. "Elevain, we must go!" Arrows were raining down on us. Legolas had taken my hand and was pulling at me. I looked up at him and fought back the tears that pricked my eyes. This was even more painful than the arrow had been. I tried to run but fell, and immediately started to cuss at myself in my head. Legolas picked me up again and ran us out of the mines.

The sun blinded me and gave me a reason to let the tears loose. Legolas set me down carefully, but I still held on to him. I just didn't want to let him go. Sam, Merry and Pippin fell to the ground crying, Boromir held Gimli as he wailed and Frodo started walking off; Aragorn showed nothing as he cleaned his sword. I looked up at Legolas who was still holding my hand. His blue eyes were full of puzzlement as he looked down at me. Again my eyes filled with tears. Not being able to stand it any longer, I hid my face, trying to contain my loss. I shouldn't be crying, I'm supposed to be the strong one. It never occurred to me why, but he hugged me back as I cried. Just like when I had woken up after dreaming he was dead, but with tears. I felt a bit better. I saw Boromir look at us with…envy was it?

"Legolas, get them up!" Aragorn called.

Legolas reluctantly let me go and began to walk over to Merry and Pippin

Boromir contradicted him: "Give them a moment for pity's sake!"

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien. Come, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up. On your feet, Sam. Frodo? Frodo!"

I looked at Frodo as he turned to face us. His face tore at my heart. He had suffered this loss more than any of us. When everyone got up, Aragorn started to run, and I was once again carried.

We ran over more fields and streams, Aragorn always leading. Legolas and Boromir took turns carrying me and I usually felt better with Legolas. But by the time we reached the river, I had had enough.

"All right. This is ridiculous. Put me down. Someone needs to get this arrow out of me before I go crazy." Even more than I already am anyway.

Everyone stopped to look at me, while Legolas set me down.

"I'm an elf so I should heal quickly."

Their faces gave me doubt.

"Shouldn't I?"

Aragorn looked like he would regret this, Pippin looked down right terrified, and Legolas looked flat out guilty. "Elevain, what do you know about goblins?"

"I know some but not much. Why?"

"Goblin weapons are poisoned, and all I can do is slow the poison."

"So do it! I'm dying more every second-"

"You won't die Elevain. You'll just become more like them."

"What?" my eyes filled with fear. "Take it out now! Why didn't you earlier? Take it out!" I started crying and Legolas hugged me.

Aragorn started barking orders. "Sam! Fill two pots with water! Gimli! Start a fire and boil one of the pots!" once that was all done, Aragorn tossed some athelas leaves into the boiling water.

Legolas helped me sit down and just held me, which was all I wanted. I'm pretty sure Boromir was giving us jealous glares the whole time.

"Elevain, this may hurt a little. Sam, pour the cold water on Elevain's knee to numb the pain. Merry! Pippin! Hold her legs down. Legolas hold her so she won't move. Elevain, hold very still." He waited for me to nod before he poured half of the athelas water on the arrow.

I bit back a squeal of pain and clenched my eyes shut as Legolas held me tighter. I was just glad he was the one holding me. I felt a pull and more pain as Aragorn pulled the arrow from my leg. A small cry escaped my lips when the rest of the water was put onto the wound. He tore a long strip off the bottom of my skirt, rinsed it in the river, and wrapped my leg in it.

"It's over now. You can get up."

Legolas helped me up and I was fine. That is until Aragorn tossed the arrow into the fire. I felt light headed and dizzy. Then I was gone.


	7. Tripping and sleeping, again

___The next thing I knew, Gimli was going berserk, talking about a sorceress and such nonsense. _

_"__Ungh!" I put my hand on my forehead, which was, in fact, in close proximity to Legolas' chest. Not that I minded much. "What happened? And please tell Gimli to shut up. He's giving me a head ache." _

_"__Elevain! You're awake!" Legolas gently let me down so I could stand, and soon we were both surrounded by the hobbits. _

_"__Hey! Come on. I can't breathe." _

___They had just enough time to disperse from around me before we were confronted by arrows coming from every angle. Legolas whipped out his bow and arrow, shifting it from one person to the next. _

___Haldir stepped forward. "The dwarf breaths so loud we could have shot him in the dark." _

___Gimli growled. _

___They circled us and drove us to the trees where we climbed to platforms at the top of the trees. It was difficult for me to climb, but I did it and was greeted by throbs of pain when I reached the top. It was much darker here. Haldir approached us again._

_"__Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion." (Welcome, Legolas son of Thranduil.) _

_"__Govannas vin gwennen le, Haldir o Lorien." (Our fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lorien.) _

___I couldn't believe I could understand them. But then I remembered that I was an elf, so I would be able to anyway. _

___Haldir turned to Aragorn. "A, Aragorn in Dunedain istannen le ammen." (Oh, Aragorn of the Dúnedain, you are known to us.) Then he turned to me. "You, however, are not." _

_"__Her name is Elevain. She came with us from Rivendell," Legolas said. Again, coming to my defense. I wished he wouldn't sometimes. _

___I nodded, rolling my eyes. "My name is Elevain." I still couldn't believe that Haldir would die. And I would see it happen. I don't care what Legolas said; I was going to fight at Helm's Deep. Period. _

_"__So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves! Speak words we can also understand!"_

_"__Hey, Gimli, zip it. You're giving me a head ache." I just about growled at him. My leg hurt, my head hurt and so did my throat. _

_"__We have not had dealings with the dwarves since the Dark Days." _

"And you know what this Dwarf says to that? Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!" (I spit upon your grave!) I wanted to slap him.

Aragorn grabbed him. "That was not very courteous."

___Haldir spoke again, first looking at Frodo and then at Aragorn. "You bring great evil here. You can go no further." He walked away and Aragorn followed him. They started arguing. Aragorn was very upset but Haldir was resisting. He spoke so only Aragorn could hear. _

_"__I can answer for myself, Legolas. I'm not a mute." I guess I was a bit tweaked that he wouldn't let me answer for myself. _

___I went to sit by Frodo. He always brought me peace, though Pippin was my favorite. Legolas and Gimli constantly looked at him and it was making him uncomfortable. _

_"__Frodo, are you alright?" _

___He looked very upset and uncomfortable. "I don't know who to trust. I feel a bit lost without Gandalf." _

_"__You can trust yourself. I learned a long time ago that when you're in doubt, about anything at all, you can always trust yourself." _

___Frodo's blue eyes held a deep pain that only he would know. He probably felt that Gandalf was the only one he could trust. And he was probably right; although I knew he could trust me, what would happen if I went away too? Then again, why would he trust me? He had only known me a short while. I put my arm around him and kissed his head. "Everything will be alright. Don't worry," I said. _

_"__But Elevain is poisoned! She needs help!" _

___I wished people would stop talking about me. _

___Boromir came over to us. "Gandalf's death was not in vain… nor would he have you give up hope." He paused for a moment. "You carry a heavy burden, Frodo… don't carry the weight of the dead." I glared at him. _

___Frodo wondered at this until Haldir came over to us. He didn't look very happy. _

_"__You will follow me." _

___We stood up and gathered our things, then followed him down the tree and into the forest. Only this time, Haldir carried me. Legolas offered to carry me, but Haldir refused. Ugh. It felt weird with Haldir carrying me. His arms felt different, like they didn't fit. I would much rather have Legolas carry me, his arms were much more comfortable. _

___The woods turned to gold in the late afternoon sun when we reached the end of the hill. _

___As the day wore on, Haldir led us through the forest until we came to a different part. The trees here were larger. At the beginning of the stairs, I just about ordered him to put me down. I could walk, I wasn't that weak… yet. The staircase circled the tree trunk. As it got darker, Haldir left me behind and walked ahead of us. Soon we were walking through a staircase lit by sliver-blue lights. It was beautiful. My eyes stayed ahead of me, for a while. I felt a gaze on me and I dared a glance at legolas. My breath caught as my heart broke into a sprint. _

___His skin was literally glowing. It was almost unbearable. I wanted to be in his arms once again, to be reassured… but of what? _

___Then I tripped. How could I trip? _

___Legolas caught me before I reached the ground and helped me as I limped my way up the stairs. His arms were wrapped almost protectively around me, and soon we fell way behind the others. Not that I cared much. _

___My breathing was ragged from the effort it took to walk. I was going good for a while, only thinking about how I felt with Legolas, ignoring the pain in my leg, when I couldn't go on anymore. My knees buckled underneath me and I fell. "I'm sorry," I gasped. "I just… can't go any farther." I felt like crying. How could I be so weak? Out of everyone I knew and that knew me, I was always the strong one, the one that didn't stop, even if I had a really bad wound. _

_"__It's alright," he said. "Don't worry. You don't have to. I've got you." Legolas picked me up and carried me in his arms again. _

___I relaxed into his hold on me and closed my eyes. Soon my breaths became even again. _

___I knew he was staring at me. I could feel his gaze on my face. I was just too tired to open my eyes. And then he kissed my forehead. At least, that's what I think he did. A shiver rippled through me. I didn't have enough strength to open my eyes until half a minute later, and that was still a chore. I opened them too late, though, because we were already with the rest of the fellowship. _

___When we reached the top, we were led to a short stairway under an arch that was also lit with silver blue lights. Haldir stepped to one side and we saw Celeborn and The Lady Galadriel hand in hand descending the stairs to greet us. Legolas set me down, but never let go of me, in case I collapsed again. _

___I stood in awe as I stared at Galadriel. She really was the fairest of all. _

_"__The enemy knows you have entered here. What hope in secrecy you had is now gone." Celeborn paused. "Nine there are yet ten there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him… I can no longer see him from afar."_

___Galadriel spoke now, her voice was like a soft whisper but so full of authority. "Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow."_

_"__He was taken by both shadow and flame: a Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria," Legolas said. _

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his full purpose. Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dûm fill your heart, Gimli son of Glóin. For the world has grown full of peril. And in all lands, love is now mingled with grief."

She looked at me. I could hear her voice in my head, thus drowning out the words of Celeborn. _I know where you are from, _she said. _If your feelings develop any further, you may not return. _

What did that mean?

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. To night you will sleep in peace."

Haldir came to stand by me. "You will come with me. Sosha!" he called over his shoulder. "Come take these weary travelers to where they will spend the night." Once again I was lifted into his arms and carried. Only this time, he followed Galadriel into a secluded room. He set me onto a bed… couch… thing.

"Thank you Haldir. You may go."

Haldir bowed and left.

"You are the one they call Elevain?"

"Yes… your ladyship." Talk about awkward…

"You may call me Galadriel." Her voice was like the ringing of bells.

I nodded.

"Haldir tells me you were poisoned."

"I was."

"I will stop the poison from consuming you entirely. But for this situation, I need you to be asleep."

I stiffened. _I would feel so much better if Legolas were here…_what on earth am I thinking?!

Galadriel turned and walked over to me. "Do not worry. All will be well."


	8. Embarassment

**A/N: sorry if some chapters end up all in italics. my computer likes to mess up the documents i upload. **

**but anyway, next chapter. ^_^  
**

* * *

When I woke up, for the zillionth time that day, I was laying on soft grass, and blankets. A down pillow was under my head, and my leg was wrapped in a lacy-gauze wrapping. It didn't hurt. In fact, I had forgotten it was there until I sat up.

I shook the sleep from my head and looked around. Boromir was off sitting by his self, Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam were setting up their beds, Gimli was sleeping, and Aragorn was sharpening his sword. Typical. Legolas seemed restless, as he was pacing back and forth, carrying a silver water pitcher. And to top it all off, there were elves singing all around us.

I watched Legolas. He looked over at me and smiled, though a bit sadly. I don't know what for, but he did. It was a major downplay of "heartbreaker." He didn't seem so restless then, and I noticed something, just below his jaw. When I took a closer look, I saw a thin line of blood. _When did that happen? _Perhaps it was as we were running out of the mines. I had never noticed it before so it had to have been fairly recently. Perhaps he had scratched himself on something just a few minutes ago because it wouldn't be bleeding after all this time.

"A lament for Gandalf," Legolas said.

"What do they say about him?" Merry wondered aloud.

"I haven't the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near."

I stood up and walked over to Legolas, with Boromir watching, and stopped next to him. It was still bleeding a little. He looked at me. "Yes Elevain?"

"You're bleeding."

"I am?"

I nodded. "Right here," I said, reaching up and running my finger lightly under the scratch. I shivered lightly.

He reached up and our hands touched. It felt like a shock, but I didn't pull my hand away and I put his hand on the scratch. Then I dropped my hand. My stomach felt tight, and my face became warm.

"It's just a scratch," he said.

"Yes, but it's still bleeding."

I bent down, took out my dagger and proceeded to cut a piece of cloth from my skirt. It was the thin one, so I didn't really care. I didn't want to use one of the other cloths that had already been used. I dipped it in some water and stood up again. Lightly, I whipped at the scratch, tilting his head so I could see a little better. I was barely breathing. _Why would a scratch like this still be bleeding? It's not that deep… _but then I realized it was deep. Not deep enough to kill or anything, but deep enough for it to still be bleeding. I felt a little queasy. Blood welled up again, so I folded the cloth over and held it there and waited until it stopped bleeding. I hardly noticed that while Aragorn was sharpening his sword, and Sam was creating a verse about Gandalf's fireworks, Gimli snored and Aragorn swatted his pillow. But then again, I hardly noticed anything but what I was doing.

Legolas watched me as I waited. I kept my eyes on my hands and checked the scratch frequently. Just about the time it was through bleeding, my eyes wandered, and then they stopped, locked with his. I stopped breathing and couldn't look away; I froze. I never noticed how blue his eyes really were: as blue as the sea, as deep as the sky, and as beautiful as anything I had ever seen, even more beautiful than the deepest sapphires they reminded me of. They pierced through my barrier that I had put up against any feelings that I had never felt, and tore it down. More feelings washed through my body. They started at my heart and then spread as if they were traveling through my blood.

"Thank you," he said softly, righting his head and taking my hand. His lips pressed softly against the back of my hand.

I was barely able to choke out, "You're welcome". He gave my hand back and smiled lightly.

I blinked and averted my eyes elsewhere. My face was scorching as I made my way back to my makeshift bed. I tightened my grasp on the cloth and then put it with the rest of my things. _Did I really just do that? Did _he _really just do that? _I had no idea. I was in such a daze that the singing elves lulled me to sleep.

"Ú-reniathach i amar galen I reniad lín môr, nuithannen." (No more will you wander the green fields of this earth your journey has ended in darkness.)

That was the last thing I heard as I stared up at the sky.

I dreamed that night we spent in Lórien. And it was the most embarrassing dream I had ever since I "arrived" in Middle-earth.

I was in the middle of a forest glade, with soft, emerald grass under my feet. I was wearing a white flowing gown that flared at the hips and covered my feet entirely. The neck was low cut and hung just on the edge of my shoulders. The arms were tight at the top and flared at the elbows. I was all alone; for now.

I heard something coming through the trees, but no footsteps, only a rustling. An elf.

They came from behind me, wrapping their arms around me, and immediately I knew who it was, even though I couldn't see their face. I felt extremely weak in their strong arms.

"Legolas…"

He pulled my face up and bent his head down to mine to kiss me. That's when I woke up. I looked at Legolas sleeping next to me. I thought I was dreaming again, because I couldn't think of a time when I had seen him so… _beautiful. _But then he stirred and I realized it wasn't a dream.

I wanted to look into eyes again, to get lost in their blue depths, but I didn't was to embarrass my self. Again. So I looked away and found Aragorn sleeping on the other side of me, next to Gimli, who was sleeping next to Boromir. The hobbits were next to Legolas, in more of a heap than in a line.

They started waking up then, and the hobbits (Pippin was the most enthusiastic), circled around me with smiles on their faces, glad I was better. Although, Frodo's smile wasn't like the rest, it was more, uneasy smile.

When we finally got Gimli up (a process in which we almost got hit), we ate a small breakfast and gathered our belongings when Haldir came to us once again.


	9. Leaving Lorien

We stood in a line on the shore of a river as elves clasped cloaks around our necks and fastened them with green, silver-veined leaf broaches. I stood between Legolas and Pippin. I was a bit nervous around Legolas because of last night. I chose here because Pippin was my favorite out of the hobbits. It was probably a bad idea to choose favorites, but I couldn't help it. Pippin just had this sort of atmosphere around him. He constantly made me laugh and was like a brother to me. I loved him like one, and he would do anything you told him… sort of. He followed Merry around I knew, and would get in all sorts of trouble. But he was extremely loyal.

"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people. May these cloaks shield you from unfriendly eyes," Celeborn said.

I was glad of finally getting something to hide my face. I really didn't want anyone to see my face when I blushed, it made people laugh.

A little while later we started shifting parcels that were provided by the Galadhrim into boats that were also provided. I would ride with Legolas and Gimli, Merry and Pippin would ride with Boromir, and Frodo and Sam would ride with Aragorn. I saw Legolas leaving Merry and Pippin alone in one of the boats and I walked over to them.

"How many did you eat?" Merry asked.

"Four." Pippin replied, burping.

"I heard that," I said, startling them both.

They looked guilty.

"Don't worry," I laughed. "I won't tell anyone."

They looked a bit relieved. "We didn't really expect you to," Pippin said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You're too nice." Merry said.

"Is that a bad thing? I can be mean if you want me to…"

"No!" They both said at once. "We would rather you bee too nice than mean. You don't seem like someone that could be mean, even if you wanted to."

"Oh, but I can be mean if I want to. I just won't feel good about it later if it's someone I'm friends with."

"Like Legolas?" Pippin blurted.

"Yes," I said immediately. And then saw them grinning. I half smiled, and turned away, realizing that I didn't feel good about the way I had spoken to Legolas the day before in the treetops. I walked quickly over to where Legolas was helping Gimli into a boat. Once Gimli was in, I started to get in as well, but Legolas stopped me. I looked at him. It looked like he was going to say something, but he never did. He just held my hand and helped me into the boat, and then got in behind me. I wished he had said something; I hated being left hanging on a cliff like this.

"Every league you travel south, the danger will increase. Mordor Orcs now hold the eastern shore of the Anduin," Celeborn was saying

We waited for Aragorn to get back from walking with Celeborn, and then we set out on the river, heading south.

The sun rose slowly higher.

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**A/N: sorry this is such a short chapter. i couldn't think of anything else i could write without using part of the next chapter. the next chapter will be longer, but i don't know how long exactly. **


	10. I probably should NOT have done that

The river's surface was slightly misty. Once we were out of the woods I remembered our parting with the Lady of Lothlórien.

* * *

_"__To you Elevain, I give Areobeleth."_

_Galadriel handed me a sword from the second age. The hilt was twice the size of a two-handed sword hilt and the blade was almost twice that size. The hilt was silky smooth and a rich red oak color inlaid with golden bands. The leather sheath was beautifully carved. The blade slid out silently and was razor sharp with a soft curve. _

"_It has seen many years of service and will not dull." _

_I then noticed that there was a thin, silvery strip at the edge. When I examined it closer, I saw that it had the same color as Frodo's Mithril coat. It was very sharp, so sharp I probably would've cut myself had I not had any common sense. I didn't doubt that this could do impeccable damage. _

_It also came with a belt connected to the sheath. The belt was also made of leather and it rested on my hips. There was another strap the connected with the front and back that held the sheath in place. _

"_Here is one more thing." She handed me a roll of lacy-gauze. "By tonight, your leg wrapping will have disappeared, so wrap this around your wound. By this time in two days, you will not be limping anymore, although you will bare a scar the rest of your life." _

_I gave the Lady of the Wood a small curtsy. "Thank you, Gal- my lady." _

_She gave a small smile before turning to Legolas. _

_Once again I heard her voice in my head, 'Beware your wishes and feelings. They may cause you to do unnecessary actions.' _

_WHAT IS SHE TALKING ABOUT?!_

'_Be careful what you wish for, for you may get everything your heart desires, and then, you may get something you do not want.'

* * *

_

My flash back ended as I continued to think about her words. What could she possibly mean?

"I have taken my worst wound at this parting, having looked my last upon that which is fairest. Haugh, henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me." Gimli said.

"What was it," Legolas asked from behind me. I was seated between them.

"I asked for one hair from her golden head. She gave me three."

I heard the smile in his voice. I wanted to turn and see the smile on Legolas' face, but instead I sat up straight and started to row with the other ore.

We sailed silently through the water for the rest of the day. Sometimes I would let my fingers trail in the water when I dipped the ore in to propel the boat forward. It was cool and flat. The boats and ores sliced through it and left no trace of being there. There wasn't even a wake where the boats sat. None of the water was displaced. I flipped up my hood to hide my facial expressions, mostly I wanted to cry because I could not, for the life of me, think about what to say to Legolas, or what would happen if he turned away from me.

The sun set early, due to the sheer cliffs that were on either side on the river.

We rested on an island in the middle of the river when darkness fell. I lay out on top of one of the larger rocks and watched the stars. They started to become hazy. I realized I was drifting, and then I heard two things at once: Boromir arguing with Aragorn and Sam trying to comfort Frodo.

Boromir's was loudest, and I became enraged at his last words.

"You are afraid! All your life, you have hidden in the shadows! Scared of who you are, of what you are."

I leaped off the rock and confronted him when Aragorn left. "What are you doing? Do you really believe he is scared?"

"Of course I do! He won't even trust his own People!"

"Perhaps you're right. Maybe he is scared, but aren't we all? Aren't we all scared of who we are? Scared of what we might become? Maybe you, Boromir, are scared yourself of what you might become. I know I am scared of who I am. Everyday I wonder what will happen, what will become of me today? What will I become today? At least we have the decency to trust Aragorn and his words and not insult him to his face!"

"Are you implying that you have insulted him behind his back?"

"No I am not. And you would do well to not insult him again! To his face or behind his back. Maybe you should think about what you have become and see if there is any justice behind your words that justifies the evidence. Maybe you should see if it applies to you as well. If it does then you have no right to say that to someone else." I turned my back and walked away. I found myself standing beside Frodo and I sat down, sighing, and wondering if I did the right thing in yelling at Boromir.

"You're right, you know."

"What?"

"You're right. We are all scared of who we are and what we might become," Frodo said.

"You heard that?"

"Who didn't? You were loud enough that you spoke to all of us without even knowing it."

I hung my head. "Great. Just great." I mumbled.

"You also spoke for us."

"What do you mean?"

"We trust Aragorn. And we don't insult him to his face, let alone insult him in general. I think that Boromir will think twice now."

I smiled at him. "Thanks Frodo." I hugged his shoulders and then sat there, not moving, just staring out into the water.

"Why me? Why was I chosen to destroy the ring?"

I refrained from saying that he chose it himself. Instead I said, "Because you're the best of us. Because you can do it and we can't."

"You could do it…"

"No Frodo, I couldn't. I'm not strong enough."

"Neither am I."

"Yes you are. When you lost Gandalf, you still went on, not only because you had to, but also because it's what Gandalf would've wanted. Because you were strong enough to. Me, well, when I lost my two best friends, I stopped living. I didn't want to go on. You are so much stronger than me. I could never carry the burden you carry."

He looked at me with awe. "You admit it freely."

"Of course. I'm not one to not admit stuff." Except my feelings towards other people.

"Why did you tell me?"

"Because I want you to destroy the ring. Do it for Gandalf and Bilbo. Do it for Sam and Merry and Pippin. And Aragorn and Gimli. Even though no one likes him, do it for Boromir. But…" I hesitated. Did I want to say this? Yes. "But especially, do it for…" I couldn't say it out loud.

After giving up on Alex, it had been like giving up on love. If I admitted this… would it ruin everything? Yup. Did I care?

"Do it especially for Legolas." Nope, guess not.

"What about you?"

"I won't ask, because I don't want you to do it for me. I mean I do, but… I don't know what's going to happen to me. If something did, I don't want your quest to be in vain."

"You want me to do it for Legolas? Especially Legolas?"

I nodded not meeting his gaze, and not looking at him. If I had, I would've seen his knowing smile and the thrill in his eyes.

"Okay. I'll do it for them. And Legolas."

Relief washed over me.

"And you."


	11. What a Surprise, I guess

My head snapped up so I could stare at him.

"I'll do it for you and Legolas."

"Why?"

His blue eyes bored into mine. "Because I want to."

"Alright. Well I'm going to go to sleep, and I'll see you in the morning." I kissed his head.

Then I got up, rewrapped my leg, and went back to star gazing on my rock. The stars were so pretty… the next thing I remembered was blinking to find Legolas standing over me, telling me it was time for the last watch. He seemed reluctant when I blinked. The more time I spent here, I became more and more like an elf. I could already hear and see everything, but I guess there were something's that I didn't do yet.

By the time the sun rose, everyone was up. I went back to my rock to look around one last time.

Aragorn came and stood by my side, sighing.

"Is everything all right?"

"Hm? Oh yes, everything is fine. Except, if I ever see Arwen again, I'm going to be a deep trouble."

"Why is that?"

"She told me to protect you. Well not really so much as protect as keep an eye on you and keep you out of trouble."

"Why?"

"She… she just didn't want to see you get hurt, especially since you were surrounded by nine other men at the time. Well, five that would be able to protect you anyway."

I snickered, shaking my head. _Poor hobbits,_ I thought. "I see."

"It's time to go by the way."

"Oh." I jumped down and made my way over to the boat I was riding in. Once again, Legolas helped me in, and like before, he started to say something, but didn't, leaving me hanging.

We made our way down river again, and Boromir shot nasty glances to the boat I was in and Aragorn's boat as well and I did my best to ignore them. One time I had enough so the next time he looked, I stuck out my tongue.

It was childish I know, but he was such a _jerk. _To _everyone. _

Just about when mid-morning came around, we saw the Argonath. They were impossibly _huge. _

Aragorn tapped Frodo's shoulder. "Frodo, the Argonath! Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old, my kin."

There was a statue on each side of the river, both with their left arms held up in warning.

There was also a voice on the air, like it was singing. "Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!" (Out of the Great Sea to Middle-Earth I am come. In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world!)

It was a very interesting song, I'll admit. But I liked it. It had a special ring to it I guess you could say.

I looked ahead and suddenly saw a great mist curling out of the water at a large rock jutting out of the water. The rock was large and came to a point.

We reached the falls and the banks of Emyn Muil shortly after. It looked like something from a fairytale. It pretty much looked animated. But it was very beautiful. And it smelled nice too.

Everyone pulled the boats up on the shore. I went to go help Boromir with his boat because Merry and Pippin had gone to help Frodo, Sam and Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli didn't need help. When we started talking I thought it was just friendly conversation. Oh how wrong I was.

"Why are you with us?" Boromir asked.

"After what happened in Rivendell, I sort of had to come. If I hadn't, I probably wouldn't have been very happy. I actually kind of wanted to go." I don't know why I was telling him this, or why I was really here. It was a good thing he didn't either. But I had to admit, as hard as this journey was going to be and was at this point in time, it was way more fun than skiing in _Greenland. _

"Oh." He was silent for a while.

I started to take stuff out of the boats to set up camp. He followed me.

"This is a nice place," he stated.

"Yup."

"It is very beautiful."

"It is, but I've seen better," I replied throwing a quick glance at Legolas. Boromir didn't notice. I hid my smile as best I could by pursing my lips.

"Really? Where?"

"The mountains at sunset, the moon on a lake." I didn't mention Legolas, I was glad I didn't.

"I've only seen one thing more beautiful than this." He replied.

"Oh?" I was a little bewildered. Surely there had to be more than one thing more beautiful.

"Yes. In fact, I see it everyday."

I frowned. What was he talking about? "Really?" I tried to hide the frustration in my voice, but it didn't really work.

He nodded. "But of course, I hadn't seen it until the Council of Elrond in Rivendell."

I caught my breath and stopped dead in my tracks. "What?" I asked my voice sharp and a little too cold. "What are you talking about?" I softened my voice, at least a teensy bit, and hoped to death he was talking about Arwen. Ha, how stupid I was to even _think_ he was talking about her. He doesn't even see her everyday.

"You of course." He said, a little as-a-matter-of-factly.

I breathed in sharply. "What are you saying?" I started walking again.

He heaved a sigh. "I'm saying that you are the most beautiful thing I've seen in my whole life." He grabbed my elbow to stop me. I turned around. "Elevain, I've never seen anything more beautiful than you. I can't stop thinking about you."

_Lies, _I thought as I stared at him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Legolas stiffen slightly where he was standing talking to Aragorn. I moved my eyes to him. Boromir noticed that much.

"Elevain." He grabbed my other arm trying to get my attention. I tore it away and he tightened his grip on my elbow.

I looked at him with steely eyes. "Let. Me. Go." I growled through clenched teeth.

"Why?"

"Because you're hurting me. Now, let go before I hurt you."

"What if I don't want to?" he challenged.

I tried pulling my arm away but he only held on tighter. Again I tried ripping my arm away when I turned around but he pulled me closer to him than before. Why couldn't I get away?

"Boromir, let me go."

He still didn't. His face was so close to mine, just a few inches away. So close I could feel his breath on my face. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move or think of anything to say as he came tantalizingly closer, as if he were going to try and kiss me. _No, no please don't let this happen! _I couldn't think of anything to do, and my thoughts flew around so fast I didn't know what was going on. His lips brushed lightly against mine, and then pressed harder. I shoved at him and pushed him away from me. I wanted to cry. I could feel the tears stinging under my eyes, threatening to spill over. _No! That did not just happen! _

"Why?" My voice wavered. "What do you want with me?" my first kiss was just stolen by a jerk off. I had been saving that to bargain with.

"I love you."

The tears spilled over. I was so infuriated with him, that I just couldn't stand it anymore. "No! No!" I couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening. I didn't love him!

Legolas obviously had had enough. He walked; or more like stalked over to us and put his hand on Boromir's wrist.

"Let her go." His growl was much more impressive than mine.

"Stay out of this, Legolas," Boromir said still not letting go, but pulling away from me so I had room, and I could breathe again.

Legolas would be in this; I wanted him here. "What if I want him here? I would rather be with him than you jerk!"


	12. That was Unexpected

Shock colored Legolas' face and a spasm of pain shot across Boromir's face, but I didn't care. He stole a kiss; he would pay for it. "He doesn't need to be here."

Well, I finally had enough. "Yes he does," I said, slapping him, hard, across the face. My hand stung slightly. My tears were now tears of rage and disgust.

"That's another thing I like about you," Boromir said, righting his face. "You're so fierce."

Legolas' hand tightened and his face-hardened. But still, Boromir didn't let go.

"Don't make me punch you, because I will!" I said, really not wanting to make a scene. "Then again I can probably kick you as well." I tried to sound at least a little threatening. Well, maybe making a scene was a good idea. My tears stopped.

He loosened his hold, but still didn't let me go. I didn't feel like punching him, so I pulled my free hand behind my head. Legolas leaned back and my hand went flying and with a satisfying_ smack, _hit Boromir's face. I looked at him with the death glare. "Let me go," I said loud enough for everyone to hear.

Everyone went silent and stopped what they were doing to stare at us. I guess Boromir was too embarrassed to continue because he finally let me go, Legolas withdrew his hand and Boromir huffed back to the boat. Everyone continued what they had been doing. My arm felt numb. I went to sit on a rock. Unsurprisingly, Legolas followed. I stared forward for a while before realizing what had really happened and then I broke down.

Legolas sat beside me. "Are you okay?" His voice was soft compared to the growl he had been using.

"Yes. My arm is a little sore though."

"Let me see." I lifted my arm for him to look at. It felt heavy as a rock. His long fingers pulled my sleeve to above my elbow. There was an imprint of Boromir's hand there. It was bright red. I was surely going to get a bruise. Legolas ran his fingers along the mark. They were cool against my warm skin.

I had been too busy watching Legolas to notice that Boromir was glaring at us. Well, not so much us as me. When I did notice, I gave him the dirtiest look I could manage. If looks could kill, he would probably be dead. He gave me a wicked grin before looking away. I balled my hands into fists and inhaled sharply as pain shot up my arm.

Legolas' head snapped up. I shook my head. "I'm fine. It just hurts my arm to do anything with my hand right now."

He nodded. "You'll be fine." He said after a while. "Just don't put it under too much stress."

I nodded once and he turned to walk away. I didn't know if I was ready to let go of him. I let my hand follow him away. When he was gone, Boromir came over and sat next to me, and tried to take my hand. "Don't touch me, jerk-off. What do you want?" I asked, again through clenched teeth.

"I want you," he said firmly.

"Well too bad." I stood up. "You won't get me. Right now you are not too high on the nice list. After what just happened I don't know why I should talk to you. Even what you said to Aragorn still makes me sick." I paused for a moment, not knowing what else to say. "You're despicable," I said through clenched teeth and with that I walked away. I heard Frodo's light footsteps leaving and than Boromir's following.

I stopped walking when I reached the water's edge. I bent down and splashed water on my face. My tears from earlier were dried and made my face feel sticky. When I stood up, I looked across the river and wondered. _Why was Legolas so mad at Boromir? Why is Legolas so concerned about me? Why does he follow me everywhere? Every time I'm hurt, why does he care? Why are they both fighting? Who are they fighting over? What are these feelings that I get whenever he touches me or I look at him? And why can't I answer these questions?! _"Why?" I asked myself, frustrated. And my friends called me the smart one.

"Why what?"

I jumped. I had been so preoccupied with my own thoughts I hadn't noticed when Aragorn came to stand by me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, no it's okay."

He paused for a while. "So… what were you thinking about?"

"It's Legolas. He's so… worried about me all the time. It's really rather annoying not knowing why. And he's been fighting with Boromir a lot. They both stare at me. Both of them are starting to worry me."

Aragorn was silent for a moment. "I have also noticed this. I've also noticed that you are always watching Legolas." I heard the smile in his voice. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," he said lightly putting his hand on my shoulder. I stiffened slightly, but then realized that he was 'good' so I relaxed. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened between you and Boromir?"

This time my stiffness was noticeable. "He said something that didn't make me exactly happy. Then he wouldn't let me go." I rubbed my arm.

"What did he say?"

"Apparently I am the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. He said that he loves me. Right after he kissed me."

Before he could reply, Merry came back with wood for the fire. Looking around, he asked, "Where's Frodo?"

Aragorn whipped around. He soon spotted Boromir's gear lying against a tree. He dashed into the trees with Merry, Pippin and Sam following. Gimli was a bit slower.

I didn't wait for Legolas this time. I grabbed my bow and slung my quiver onto my back. Then I booked it into the trees, Legolas calling me back. I slowed a little so he could catch up.

"Elevain, go back to camp."

"I won't stay there. I'll just run back."

"Why?" He demanded, not stopping for a breath.

"Because I don't want to be left behind and miss out on the fighting." That was a lie. _Why wouldn't I stay there? _I thought. It wasn't the fighting, or being left behind, it was more like being left behind by Legolas… my thoughts trailed off.

We reached the top of the hill and started slaying orcs. I could see everywhere. The stone ledge was very old with green vines climbing up.

Somehow my thoughts got onto the subject of the last battle before going to Mordor. It was a long way off, but I still wanted to know who I would go with, Gandalf, Théoden, or Legolas.

We had to run back into the trees to get to the orcs.

I really wanted to go with Legolas… and then it hit me. "No." I stopped running. Legolas stopped a little ahead of me and looked back.

The orcs were no longer near us, or near enough for us to even shoot them.

"No what?"

"That was a lie. I won't come back for the fighting. I don't want to be left behind. More specifically, I don't want to be left behind by _you_."

He looked at me, confused. "I don't understand."

"I want to be where ever you are Legolas. I want to be with you." _I love you. _The only prblem was that I had said the last three words outloud. "I love you."


	13. Convincing and Running, again

Once it was out I couldn't take it back. It just came out. I stopped short. Did I love him? I didn't want to take it back, because it was true. I had never noticed it before but it pretty much summed up all my feelings. I did love him; it was the only reason why I would feel this way. "I love you." I repeated, surprised still by my conclusion.

It took him only about ½ a second to register what I said. He took me by surprise. Walking up to me, he took hold of the back of my head, bent down and kissed me. Hard. He kind of just dropped his bow so he could hold my face. I was helpless to fight against him and soon found myself kissing him back.

_What are you doing?! _

_Who cares? _I really didn't care. I didn't want to do anything else but be with him.

When he pulled back, he didn't look at me. He let his hands drop, but then took one of my hands. "I've been waiting for you to say that. I've been waiting for who knows how long to kiss you."

I stared at him, taking a step back. He let go of my hand. Now I was confused. I lowered my eyes to look at my bow. My stomach churned and my cheeks burned. I couldn't believe what just happened or what he just said. He brushed the back of his hand up my cheek and then lifted my chin so I was forced to look at him.

"I've fought against my will not to seem too desperate. It's been torment to me, knowing how I felt but not how you felt."

"What do you mean?"

"I love you."

I felt like I was going to pass out. Was this how Elizabeth Bennet felt when Mr. Darcy told her he loved her? Probably not, just because she didn't love him back at the time. Maybe it was the other way around; how Mr. Darcy felt when he found out Elizabeth loved him. But still, learning the person you loved, loved you back was a feeling I had never felt before. It didn't make any sense, until I finally registered what he said. And suddenly it all made sense. It felt like my life had been a puzzle for so long, with all the pieces scattered. And then they righted them selves and fell into place. However, there had been a piece missing; the middle piece. And when he said that, that piece landed comfortably in place. My bow fell from my grasp. "Is this why you and Boromir were fighting; Over me?"

He nodded. "When we would stop to rest and sleep, I would wish I was the one laying next to you. When you were cold, I would wish I were the one keeping you warm. I wanted to be the one that made you safe-"

"You love me." I guess my assumption was correct: they were fighting over me.

"More than anything in all of middle-earth."

I stared at him a little while longer. Involuntarily, I slapped him. He should have told me sooner.

He looked at me a bit shocked. "What… What was that for?"

"That was for not telling me sooner." I wanted to slap him again for kissing me with no warning, so I did. _Why are you slapping him? _I pretended to start to slap him again, but he caught my hand, which was what I wanted. I started with my other hand and he caught that one as well. I _wanted_ him to catch my hands; I _wanted_ him to hold me.

He must have been thinking the same thing I was because we both leaned in at the same time and kissed each other. He let go of my hands and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

He held me by my waist; his arms fit me so perfectly, like they were made for me. I ended up standing on my toes. When he set me down, he told me to go back to camp.

"No. I will not go back and stay at camp," I said, grabbing his hand as he turned to leave. "I love you. I refuse to stay."

"Please? Just, please stay?"

"No, why should I? I'm not helpless. My leg is perfectly fine, so you can't use that, and I am just as good at fighting as you. You know very well that I am not helpless."

"Do I?" he grinned. "Because right now you seem very helpless."

I dropped his hand. "No I'm not." I started to walk by him, but he grabbed the top of my left arm, the one farthest from him, and refused to let go.

"Yes you are."

"I am not. Prove to me that I am helpless."

"Why should I? You claim you aren't helpless, so why should I need to prove to you that you are helpless? You should be able to prove that by yourself."

_Why is he trying to mess with my head? _"Have I ever been helpless?"

"Yes, in fact you have."

"Wow, once when I was shot by a goblin arrow and had no choice but to be carried. It wasn't my fault."

"This time it is. And you are oh so helpless. It's intoxicating really."

"I am not helpless!" I exclaimed.

He pulled me closer than he had before, and kissed me, long, and hard.

My knees almost gave out and I had to grip him for support. But he already held me so I wouldn't fall. So why was I pulling myself closer to him? Why was I kissing Legolas back? Oh yeah, I was helplessly in love with him. I am helpless, totally and completely helpless. But this was a good helpless, a helplessness I had wanted to feel my entire life. And who knew that I would feel it with a fictional character that I fell in love with, and it wasn't even a dream? I was so helpless, I wasn't strong enough to push him away, or let him go, or keep a straight head.

"You see," he said, pulling away. "Quite helpless."

"Just shut up."

"Are you still denying the truth? I could convince you again…"

"Even if I do admit it, will you still convince me again?"

He laughed. "It's possible."

"Alright then. I admit I'm helpless."

"Good," he said, starting to kiss me again, but then the sound of Boromir's horn rang through the trees like a bell in a church tower. His head snapped up and he whipped around.

"The horn of Gondor!"

Why did it have to come so soon?

We both bent down to grab our bows at the same time. It never really occurred to me, but we didn't knock our heads together.

Ever since the time at Balin's tomb, I had been running a lot. Possibly more now than in my entire life. I was going to be both very sore and have great legs (not that I didn't already).

But that wasn't important now.


	14. not a chapter! quick update!

**A/N: I know I haven't updated either of my stories for a while, but things have been hard and school just ended and I need to help some people so I cant get on the comp all the time. The only time is at like 10 at night so I cant take the time to update.**

**Anyway… a few things. I'm writing a ton of other stories and I want to know if I should post them on FF. I also need some new ideas for stories that I can post on FF. PM me if you have any suggestions.**

**Again, sorry for not updating sooner!**

**Love,**

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo**


	15. Goodbyes and running, AGAIN

We slew many orcs as we ran, cutting down as many as possible. I could hear the clash of steal as I ran, and suddenly I heard the screams of Merry and Pippin, Pippins being the loudest. _Oh please no! _He was still screaming, but this time, it was from fear. Fear because he was being carried away, away to Isengard. _No! _"Pippin!" I screamed after him, suddenly afraid of never seeing him again.

Now, I wasn't faster than Legolas, but wanting to see Pippin before he was carried away helped me reach the crest of the hill before Legolas. Just in time to see Aragorn blow into the leading uruk. The arrow he had had notched was supposed to fly off harmlessly.

Pain seared through my arm where it cut and I dropped my bow again. I bit back a cry of pain and kept running until I heard a thud. I looked up and saw a shield holding Aragorn pinned to a tree by his neck.

Without thinking, I knelt, took out my daggerand ran up to Lurtz. I sunk it deep into the uruk's arm so as to give Aragorn more time to escape.

He growled and backhanded me into a nearby tree.

"Elevain!" I couldn't tell whom it came from but it sounded upset. When I hit, I thought I saw Legolas' face drawn with pain, but then I realized it had been Aragorn. Why was he worrying about me? He needed to be worrying about not getting killed by the orc that was about to crush him.

I fell to the ground, winded. Looking up, I saw Boromir fall back. Struggling, I crawled over to him. "Boromir." No matter how much I disliked him, I still felt pity for him.

"Elevain, I am sorry. I will ever love only you." He struggled to speak. Then he took out his broach that held his thicker cloak on. There were two pins connected by a leather strap. The pins consisted of two layers; the first two were like angels wing fully stretched meeting at the tips, and the last one was gold, inlaid with Gondor's emblem: the white tree. "Take it. Keep it. For me." He held it out for me and I took it.

"Boromir I—" I didn't know what to say. "I'm so sorry." I stood up and staggered away. _Why me? Why does this have to happen to me? _I wanted to scream.

With a sickening thud, the uruk fell dead. I hid my face with my hands and went over to lean onto a tree. My arm throbbed. _I don't know how much more of this I can take. _

I watched on sadly as Boromir died. And then he said it, "They took the little ones."

I knew this had been coming, so why was I so upset? I knew they were gone, I had said it my self that I would save them, and I knew they were safe, but I was still upset. After all the time I had spent with them, I had grown to love them like family. They _were _my family. And even though it was silly, I still vowed to make them safe. _Hold up! Rewind. This isn't the movie. It may have gone on like the movie so far, but who's to say it won't change? They could still get killed. You're here now, so that may have changed something. Great job. _Why do I keep fighting with these stupid voices in my head? Why do I even have them?

I closed my eyes, but I couldn't the picture out of my head: the picture of Boromir's blood drained face, the arrows sticking out like he was a pin cushion, it wouldn't go away. I wanted to be sick, but there was nothing in me to get rid of. I thought about how much his father adored him. _Poor Faramir, the one person he can look up to, and he's dead. _I almost felt bad for his father; but he was a psycho path. I felt bad for Boromir, the one person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with loved someone else and he dies trying to do his father's will while his younger brother look's up to him and now has to face his father alone.

I heard someone coming. When I looked up I saw Gimli and Legolas slowly approaching. I went to him, tripping on some of the bodies that were lying around. He caught me and I just stood there in his arms, not wanting to look up, to see the devastating scene. I could feel blood start to trickle down my arm. _Great. _

Aragorn stood up. "They will look for his coming from the white tower. But he will not return." Aragorn and I collected our daggers and I picked up my bow.

We carried Boromir's body to the shore. Aragorn took the vambraces from Boromir's forearms and pulled the arrows from him. We cleared one of the boats and I folded his heavy cloak and placed it in the bottom. Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn laid him on top and put his sword in his hands on his chest and his horn was placed at his side. His shield we placed above his head. The boat slid easily into the water and started to sail slowly towards the falls of Rauros.

From my thin skirt I tore a strip off and wrapped it around my arm where the arrow had cut me. I put my bow on my back and watched as Boromir's boat reached the falls. A tear slid down my cheek. "I'm sorry," I whispered to him. The boat slipped over the edge. I looked away and never looked back. "I'll never forget you. Please keep Pippin and Merry and Sam and Frodo, especially Frodo, safe."

Aragorn put on the vambraces and sheathed his dagger.

Legolas shoved a boat into the water. "Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore!"

I moved to get Areobeleth and clasped the belt onto my waist and hips.

Aragorn didn't move. I could barely see the shapes of Frodo and Sam moving through the trees on the opposite shore. I would miss them, terribly. "God speed, Frodo." I whispered.

"You mean not to follow them?" Legolas looked confused.

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." he replied.

"Then it has all been in vain! The fellowship has failed." Gimli sounded distraught.

"Excuse me, but if I may be so bold as to give my un-professional opinion and state the facts, Merry and Pippin are out there. And I'm not in the mood to just let them die. I know Sam and Frodo are going out to an even greater danger and possible death, but there are two other hobbits going in the other direction. I'm not going to just sit here and let them go. Choose what you will, I'm looking for Merry and Pippin. There isn't much we can do for Frodo and Sam right now, except save Merry and Pippin." With that, I went around and started gathering what we needed and hiding everything else that we didn't, leaving Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas to decide what to do. I was done quickly as we didn't have that much and went to wait by the edge of the forest. _You probably just messed up the whole story line by saying that. Smooth move._

_WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP! I already messed up the story line by falling in love with Legolas. Jeez, there's no need to go making my guilt any worse. _I really have to stop fighting with these stupid voices.

They decided rather quickly as well. I don't know if Aragorn decided for them, or if they actually talked about it, but their decision was made.

"We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we still have strength left." He paused momentarily. "Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light." He reached for his dagger from Lothlorien. "Let us hunt some Orc!"

I pointed to the small packs that were already ready. Legolas and Gimli looked at each other, grinning.

"Yes! Haha!" Gimli laughed.

Aragorn ran into the trees and I followed. Legolas and Gimli came behind us.

And thus began the real journey.

* * *

**A/N: sorry i havent updated in a while. but here is the next chapter. sorry its short! R&R! **

**Love, **

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo  
**


	16. What's the Reason? Please, tell me

We ran for the rest of the day and through the night; and we continued to run for two more days and nights.

Just so you know, when you run for two days and nights straight, it is extremely boring. You have no idea. There's nothing to do but run, stop for a drink, run, run, and run some more. It's not as fun as it looked in the movie, but what is? Except, maybe, parties or whatever.

Most of the time, I watched Legolas, wishing and hoping that we belonged together, dreading that at any moment I would be whisked away back to earth. Gandalf was the one that brought me here; with him gone, who knew what would happen to me. And then I would never see Pippin or Frodo again… don't even get me started on not seeing Legolas ever again. Thinking that would make me sad, and when Legolas caught me staring at him, I would blush really badly and give him a small smile.

We didn't have much time to talk, even though we were just running. It's hard to talk while you're running. . Many times Aragorn would lie on the ground, and listen. There were many Uruk-Hai and so they left a fairly easy trail to listen too. On the fourth day we reached a rocky part of the land. It was probably easier to listen to them through rock than it was through regular ground. It was just about midday.

Aragorn lay on the ground with his ear pressed to a rock. "Their pace has quickened. They must've caught our scent. Hurry!" he leapt up and ran on.

"Come on, Gimli!" Legolas called.

I heard him complaining behind us and giggled.

"Three day's and night's pursuit… no food, no rest, and no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell!" We ran on. Over the barren field next to the deep ravine. It was beautiful, all the landscapes. We ran through brush and large rocks. Suddenly, when it started to cool down, Aragorn knelt down and picked something up: Pippin's broach.

He's still alive. That means Merry is too.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall." He said.

"They may yet be alive," Legolas replied.

"Less than a day ahead of us, come!" He started running again.

"Come Gimli! We are gaining on them!"

Gimli rolled down the hill, grumbling.

"Don't worry Gimli! Just keep breathing," I called to him. Of course, we broke over the crest of the hill just then.

All of us stood there, gazing at the sight before us.

"Rohan. Home of the horse lords." Aragorn paused. "There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets its will against us."

Legolas ran ahead and leapt up on a rock and scanned the landscape.

Aragorn called to him. "Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?"

"The Uruks turn northeast. They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

I almost burst out laughing. I clapped a hand over my mouth so they couldn't see my smile and pretended to cough. I remembered the song made from his words. _Stupid song. _We all watched Aragorn, while I tried to smother my laughter.

"Saruman." He paused for a moment and then, again, started running.

The day continued to drag on for what seemed like eternity. We stopped very few times.

The sun sunk bellow the horizon and we ran on through the night. Again.

When the sun rose, Legolas commented on the speed of the Uruk-Hai. "They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them."

I started to get a sore feeling in my legs. It wasn't too horribly painful, but it would get worse.

We continued running. This day seemed longer than the last. It dragged on and on and on and… you get the picture.

The sun set as fast as it had rose; very slowly. It was beautiful, but we didn't have enough time to marvel at it.

The temperature began to drop. It became chilly, but not cold. We continued to run through the night, the moon providing us with enough light to see. At least I think so. I don't know how well Gim- listen to me. He lives in _mines, underground. _ I am officially insane. Did I already say that? Sorry if I did.

The sun rose slowly, again, turning the clouds blood red.

"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night," Legolas said, pausing for a second. We continued to run, and soon my legs started to burn, the soreness in my legs getting worse. I could feel a thin sheen of perspiration on my face. _Oh dear. This is not good; I won't be able to run for much longer. _

We came down many hills and it was easier than running up them. As we ran down one hill, Aragorn stopped and then suddenly urged us to the other side of the small valley and we hid among the rocks. I then realized that we didn't have to run any more.

The large group of horses and riders passed us; oblivious to us, due to the Lórien cloaks we wore. When they had all passed us, Aragorn rose and called out to them, "Riders of Rohan! What news from the mark?" We followed him and we were encircled by riders and in a tight spot as they all pointed their spears at us. It hadn't looked like two thousand men in the movie, but it did now.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas were a bit confused, but I just stood there as if this happened everyday.

Èomer rode forward, and did not look exactly happy. "What business does two elves, a man and a dwarf, have in the riddermark? Speak quickly." He didn't sound too happy either.

"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine," Gimli said. I wanted to slap him. It wasn't the first time I wanted to and it definitely wouldn't be the last.

Èomer got down off his horse and Aragorn put his hand on Gimli's shoulder.

"I would cut off your head, _dwarf_, if it stood but a little higher from the ground."

Legolas quickly drew and aimed an arrow at Èomer. "You would die before your stroke fell!" Aragorn lowered Legolas' aim, and I elbowed him in his ribs. He gave a little gasp of pain and looked at me. I gave him a warning glance.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, this is Gimli son of Glóin, and Legolas and Elevain of the woodland realm," Aragorn explained, gesturing to us in turn. "We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king."

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," Èomer said, removing his helmet. As he did so, the riders lowered their spears. "Not even his own kin."

I widened my eyes to pretend my shock.

"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished." He paused for a moment. His voice took on a warning tone. "The white wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked." He looked meaningfully at Legolas, and it wasn't a good meaningful.

My eyes turned to ice, and I took a small step forward, but Legolas held me back. I took his hand for more restraint. My face probably had the same look as Legolas' had. "What are you suggesting exactly?"

"Everywhere his spies slip past our nets." He kept his eyes locked on mine.

"So you're saying we're spies? What gave you that impression?"

"Just the fact that none of my company could see you until you moved. It's either you are spies or wizards-"

"Wizards? You think we're wizards? How could we be? Seriously? We look nothing like a wizard."

Èomer took another step towards me, and I could tell Legolas was getting anxious. "Elevain, is it? I am impressed. Never before have I heard a woman speak so. Nor dress likewise." He was looking me over, up and down like I was some prize or something.

"Alright. One, I'm an elf, not a woman, and where I come from, all elvin women speak this way. Two, save your flattery for someone else about my clothes. And three, stop looking me over like I'm something to be won, or it won't be the men I travel with you need to be afraid of." I used a lot of body language, which probably wasn't a good idea.

"What makes you think I was flattering you?"

"You know I'm not stupid. You just said so. I can tell flattery from a compliment, and I can definitely tell when someone is flirting with me, and the only one allowed to do that is Legolas so-"

"That is enough Elevain."

"Hey, he started it!"

"And I am finishing it. That is enough. Something else, it's very unwise to speak that way to someone of his ranking. "

I scowled at Aragorn. "Fine." I looked at Éomer. "sorry."

"Now, getting back to the real issue, we track a band of Uruk-Hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends captive." Aragorn said.

Èomer shifted his gaze back to Aragorn. "The uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night."

Gimli interrupted before Aragorn said anything, "But there were two hobbits, did you see two hobbits with them?"

"They would be small, only children to your eyes."

I saw Èomer hesitate. "We left none alive."

Everyone's face fell. I forced mine to because I already knew the truth. It was easy enough because half of the fake pain was real. I missed them so much. I wanted to see them so bad.

"We piled the carcasses and burned them," he said pointing to a pillar of smoke in the distance.

Gimli's voice was distraught, "Dead?"

He nodded once, "I am sorry."

Legolas put his hand on Gimli's shoulder and I took his other hand. We were silent for a long moment.

Èomer let out a piercing whistle. "Hasufel! Arod!"

Two horses came forward and he handed the reins to Aragorn.

"May these horses bear you better fortune than their former masters. Farewell. Look for your friends, but do not trust the hope, it as forsaken these lands. We ride north!" He replaced his helmet and mounted his horse. The company galloped off.

It was soon decided that Gimli would ride with Legolas and I would ride with Aragorn. I could tell that Legolas was a little disturbed by this.

I gave him a wink to make sure that he knew nothing would happen.

As we neared the carcasses I saw a spear that had been driven into the ground. On its point was the head of one of the uruk-hai. I quickly looked away.

We dismounted and looked around while Gimli rummaged through the burning pile. Soon he pulled out a charred belt. "Its one of their little belts," he said, his voice cracking.

Legolas bowed his head and said, "Hiro hyn hîdh ab wanath." (May they find peace in death.)

Aragorn kicked a helmet and let out a tortured yell, falling to his knees. I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to force myself sad. It wasn't working very well.

"We failed them," Gimli said.

Aragorn looked away and spotted the tracks of the two young hobbits. "A hobbit lay here, and the other." His voice changed tone. "They crawled. Their hands were bound." He followed the tracks and picked up a severed rope. "Their bonds were cut. They ran over here… and were followed."

I could tell everyone was slowly gaining hope. Aragorn followed the tracks quickly, though how he could see them was a mystery.

"The tracks lead away from the battle! Into… Fangorn Forest."

We stopped and looked up into the dense trees of Fangorn. I had to admit; it did look very dark and foreboding.

"Fangorn! What madness drove them there?" Gimli sounded shocked.

We didn't go into the forest right then, Aragorn decided that we should rest for the rest of the day and go at first light tomorrow.

I was all for that since my legs were so sore now.

I sat down on the ground, crossed my legs, and started pulling grass. I twisted it and broke it. I was extremely bored now that we weren't running anymore.

Legolas came and sat across from me. We were still in the stage where we didn't really know what to do. We knew we both loved each other, but we were both shy.

He watched me for a few minutes that seemed like eternity. "What are you doing?"

"Playing," I replied a little wistfully. I smiled to myself.

"How is that playing?"

"I'm not exactly sure. I've always found this amusing."

"I see." He continued watching me.

"Why were you and Boromir fighting over me? I mean, what started it all?"

"Do you remember at the council, when you quieted everyone?"

"How could I forget?"

"Well, when he came closer to you, I got a little, defensive, if you will."

"So, that's why you took my arms?"

"Yes. I didn't want him coming closer to you than he already was."

"I see."

"Well, after I left you in the room, I went for a short walk. Boromir followed me, and just about started yelling at me."

"is that why you and Boromir were glaring at each other when I found you?"

he nodded. "But, why did he yell at you?" Why would someone want to even think about yelling at Legolas?

"About becoming defensive. He knew that I had never met you, so he wanted to know why I felt so protective. I told him that I didn't know; it was just a little involuntary. I didn't know why I had done it, or that I even had done it."

"So how did that lead to all the fighting?"

"He didn't like my answer. And the next time we spoke, he said that he felt the same way, but he didn't know what it was. We both wanted to be with you, and we both felt the other was wrong for you."

"And so, why did you keep me closer to you?"

"You belong with your kind."

"So is that the way you feel about Aragorn and Arwen?" I looked up at him from my hands. He looked up too.

"What do you mean?"

"Aragorn and Arwen love each other, but she is elf kind, and he is mortal. But they love each other with their whole being. Do you feel the same way about them as you do us?"

He frowned. I looked at him with skeptical eyes.

"You know, I can't think when you do that."

"Do what? Dazzle you?" I laughed lightly.

"No, not dazzle. More like… bewitch."

"Bewitch?" I asked, wrinkling my nose.

"Every time I look at you, I remember the reason I fell in love and forget everything else. What were we talking about?"

I shook my head in mock disbelief, smiling. "The way you believe I belong with my kind, but do you feel that way about Aragorn and Arwen?"

"No. I believe it depends on the couple. If you had loved Boromir, I would have lived with it, but not for very long."

This time I frowned to the ground. "What do you mean?"

Legolas lifted my face with a feather light touch. My frown dissipated and I just looked at him. "Think about it. I loved you, but you loved him. That would be the equivalent of a broken heart, right?"

I couldn't take my eyes off of his. "Yes?"

"And so…" he made a gesture with his hands.

"Oh." I was losing my breath.

"Elevain?"

"What?"

"Could you please breathe? We don't need any one to pass out."

I remembered how to breathe, finally, and broke off my stare. His head twitched.

"What was that all about?"

"Would you laugh at me if I told you that you take my breath away? It's very hard to breathe when I'm looking at you."

He didn't say anything right away. "No, I wouldn't laugh. Why would I?"

"That… is a very good question." I looked up at him, carefully so I didn't look at his eyes. But my caution was ill founded. I ended up looking at them anyway.

"One more question."

"Yes?"

"Why did you slap me?"

"I told you," I smiled.

"But you didn't tell me the entire reason."

"It's a little… embarrassing to say…"

"Well?"

I bit my lip. "You let Boromir kiss me first."

He frowned, unable to reply.

"it seems silly now… and I mean no disrespect to Boromir, but, that is the other reason why I slapped you."

"It is silly. But I see your point. What you don't see is that I did not want to disrespect you by just kissing you out of no where. I could not do it."

"oh. Well…" this time I had no reply.

When I looked up at him this time, and into his eyes, I saw no reason why he should love me the way he did. I was a half elf, and he was an elf _prince._ "Please stop." I whispered.

"Stop what?"

* * *

**A/N: sorry i havent updated in a while... i said that last time... oops... sorry... i am insane after all... or i just have a bad memory. ANYWAY... moving on... here's teh next chapter. i hope you enjoyed it. it took me forever to fix this from the first draft. **

**Love, **

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo**

**P.S. i'm thinking about changing my pen name, but i dont know if i really want to, and if i do, what to change it to. any ideas? **

**kk. i'm done. ^_^ **

_the face... _**sorry. going now. 3****  
**


	17. Explinations and Secrets Revealed

We woke up as soon as the sun rose. The light was a little blinding, but not enough for me to actually go blind. The nights rest had been much better than the last few we had had; when we'd had them. The dry grass was clumped everywhere and it made very good cushioning.

After the last question he had asked last night, I had been silent. I didn't know what to say. I had bowed my head, flushing to a deep burgundy.

We left the horses tethered to a tree, though they didn't want to be close to the forest. The air was still chilly from last night, and Gimli was apparently cold as he flapped his arms up and down. I smiled slightly, and glanced at Legolas.

He looked back at me with a deep sadness in his blue eyes. I tried to smile, but it was a little difficult. His lips twitched into a small smile that lasted for only half of a second. I looked down, wanting to cry. Seeing that hurt in his eyes, it just didn't belong there.

Aragorn led the way into the forest. It was still dark, but as we went deeper into the woods, it slowly became lighter as the sun rose higher. I constantly watched Legolas, but he never looked back. I was afraid that what I had said last night might have had a bad effect on us; on him.

Soon, Gimli found small drops of a deep red liquid on some leaves. He tasted some of it and spit it out. "Orc blood!"

Aragorn knelt down to look at a depression in the ground, touching them as if it would give him the answer.

I knew we were getting close.

A few seconds later Gimli said, "The air is so close in here."

"This forest is old, very old. Full of memory… and anger." I moved my mouth along with Legolas' words.

There were groans coming from all around us.

Gimli whipped out his ax. I shuddered at the sound.

"Gimli, its fine. You can't tell me you're afraid of trees. You aren't, are you?" I teased. He still kept his ax out and I sighed in defeat.

Do you know how thick headed dwarves are? No offense but still…

"Gimli!" Aragorn also tried to calm the dwarf down.

"Huh?" he jumped and I cleared my throat so I wouldn't laugh.

"Lower your axe."

He slowly complied, nodding.

"They have feelings, my friend. The elves started it: waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."

"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings."

"hey Gimli," I said. "Zip it." After a second I added, "Please?"

He just grumbled at me.

I felt a change in the air, and so did Legolas. His voice took on an urgent tone.

"Aragorn!"

"nad no ennas!" (There is something out there!) I said, suddenly a bit afraid that it wouldn't be Gandalf.

"Man cenich?" Aragorn asked. (What do you see?)

"The white wizard approaches." Legolas said, his eyes darting around.

"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us!"

I controlled my breathing

Aragorn wrapped his hand on his sword hilt, Gimli tightened his grip on his axe, and Legolas started fingering his arrow. My hand twitched. I could feel my heart start to race in all the excitement.

"We must be quick."

A second later, they all whipped around, ready to attack. When I turned, I was blinded. The light emanating from the White Wizard really was blinding.

When Gimli threw his axe it was shattered, and Legolas' arrow was deflected when he fired. I watched as Aragorn suddenly dropped his sword. When I saw it, it was still red hot.

"Whoa…"

That's when the wizard spoke. "You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits." I could hear traces of Gandalf's voice, but the majority was that of Saruman. I hissed a little.

We shielded our eyes, unable to look into the light for too long.

"Where are they?" Aragorn wasn't very happy.

"They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"

I smiled, relieved that Gandalf's voice was becoming more dominant and that the hobbits were safe, and took a step closer. It took me right next to Legolas. Our arms brushed. He looked down at me for a fleeting moment and then back at the wizard.

"Who are you? Show yourself!"

Gandalf stepped forward and the light dimmed. Everyone's face showed shock. My smile widened. Legolas knelt down and Gimli bowed. "Gandalf," I said as I knelt beside Legolas.

Aragorn took a step forward. "It cannot be." His voice held disbelief contradicting the angered tone it had just a few seconds earlier.

"Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman," Legolas said, standing up.

Gimli and I followed suit. I took Legolas' hand, looking up at him. He looked down at me, and smiled. I smiled back.

"I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been."

"You fell!" Aragorn said.

"Through fire. And water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth." Gandalf paused. "Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as the life age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt light in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."

"Gandalf!"

"Gandalf? Oh yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."

"Gandalf!" Gimli was more than a bit relieved.

"I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you know, at the turn of the tide."

Legolas' lips were still twisted in the smile he had given me. It was beautiful, especially knowing he wasn't fully upset with me. That's at least what I grasped. He never tried to take his hand back; he just let me hold it.

As we walked, we were mainly silent. At one point, Legolas held me back by the hand he still held, and continued when we were out of the earshot of everyone else.

"About last night…"

"I'm sorry," I blurted. Again I blushed.

"_Stop what?" _

_I bowed my head, flushing a deep burgundy. _

_Legolas tried to look at my face but I wouldn't let him. "Stop what, Elevain?" _

"_Stop loving me like you do." I finally picked up my head. His eyes widened. Tears started to well up. "I don't want to be hurt like I have been before." I said too much. _

"_What do you mean? I can't stop loving you. It isn't possible." _

"_Why not?" _

"_Love is too powerful. Once it takes root, there's no way to up-root it. Trying to forget someone you loved is like trying to remember someone you never met."_

_I thought about this for a minute. "Why was it planted in the first place? Why do you love me?"_

"_Why does anyone fall in love? Perhaps it was your eyes that first took hold of me, and then slowly your determination took hold and soon every part of me was held by every part of you. The bonds were unbreakable, unable to be up-rooted. It was totally involuntary. I never knew it would happen, or expected it. I didn't know what it was until you were shot with the goblin arrow, then it became stronger and suddenly clearer. I felt that it was my fault, and I had to make it right. Loving you was the only way I knew how to make it right."_

_I looked at him. How could this happen? How could I have hold of something so beautiful, so perfect? I don't deserve this. "I don't deserve you." _

_His face was pained. "How could you say that? How could you not? The real question is, how could __**I**__ deserve __**you**__?" _

"_you don't, you deserve someone so much better than I."_

"_Don't say that." _

"_I have to. If only you knew…" I trailed off, unable to tell him what I had to tell him. _

"_Elevain? Are you alright?" _

_I couldn't answer him. I just stared at the ground. _

"_Elevain?" _

_When I didn't answer him a second time, he got up and left. _

_We didn't speak for the rest of the night. _

"Sorry for what?"

"I don't know. I just feel that I have to apologize." I thought about it a little longer. We slowed our pace so we were still out of earshot. "I'm sorry I never answered you. I just ignored you. And I am sorry. I never should have even brought it up. It was stupid of me."

He stopped us. "It can't be stupid if it bother's you enough to ask."

"Its stupid enough if I have to ask. It was a stupid question to ask. The answer was right in front of me the entire time. It's not our fault we fell in love."

"Of course it's our fault. You caused me to fall in love with you, and I caused you to fall in love with me. It's involuntary, but it's still our fault."

I frowned trying to understand what he was saying. I couldn't quite grasp it. "So, it is our fault we fell in love?"

He nodded.

"I see. No never mind, no I don't."

He laughed. "It's very complicated, but then so are we."

Our eyes locked and it was impossible for me to look away.

He brushed his lips on mine and I tried to remember how to breathe. Legolas kissed me once and then led me back to the others to make it as if we had never left them. They were no longer silent.

"One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed." Gandalf said.

"Edoras?" Gimli asked in surprise. "That is no short distance!"

"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king." Aragorn said.

"Yes, and it will not be easily cured." Gandalf replied.

Gimli was upset. "Than we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested…"

The trees started rumbling.

"I mean charming, quite charming forest."

"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."

"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Aragorn's voice was amused.

"Hmm?"

"You still speak in riddles."

They both laughed and I let a small giggle escape me.

"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up, and find that they are strong."

"Strong? Oh that's good." Gimli was still a little indigent.

"So stop your fretting Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."

"Do you have to be such a pessimist all the time Gimli?" I asked him. "You could be at least a little optimistic that Merry and Pippin are safe."

He almost glared at me. "This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one."

"Right…" I said. "He's not all that grumpy."

We were out of the forest soon after that. It was midday now. Gandalf had put on a gray cloak to cover the white robes he now wore.

After a few steps, he let out two piercing whistles, and soon after came an answering neigh.

"You can whistle really loud, you know that right?"

Gandalf looked back at me.

"Sorry."

A snow white horse that looked almost silver was soon galloping towards us.

Legolas let go of my hand. "That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell."

I still thought Glostriana was prettier.

The horse stopped in front of Gandalf and nuzzled him gently.

"Shadowfax. He's the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers."

Our horses were still tethered and grateful to be away from the forest. We mounted and left the forest edge at full gallop. I was still riding with Aragorn and Legolas still wasn't that happy.

We rode for the rest of the day.

Do you know how painful it is to ride behind someone at full gallop for a whole entire day? No? well, it's very painful. just saying.


	18. Dead People Aren't Cheerful

When the sun sank down below the horizon, we stopped for the night. I wrapped my self in my cloak and laid my head on my pack that I carried. I closed my eyes, but then opened them and looked behind my head.

Legolas sat there watching me.

"Well hello there," I said.

"Hello."

"How are you this evening?"

"I am just fine, thank you. How are you?"

"Well, I am… just… amazing." I replied rolling onto my stomach. I picked my legs up and started swaying them back and forth behind me. "I am sorry about last night though."

"There's nothing to be sorry for." He reached forward and took a lock of my hair and started twisting it in his fingers.

I put my head in my arms, embarrassed yet again. I let him play with my hair; I liked how it felt. I could hear Gandalf and Aragorn talking quietly about Frodo and suddenly I missed him; his mass of dark brown hair, Sam's burning determination, Pippin's carefree personality, and Merry's outlook an everything. I never knew I would come to know them so well. Now they were like family. I looked up and once again lost myself in Legolas' sapphire eyes.

The next thing I remember was being nudged by Legolas for the next watch, and the last. He smiled at me in the darkness.

"Have fun," he whispered.

"Oh I'll have loads of it."

I heard his low chuckle as he settled down to rest. The night went on as usual, nothing going wrong. I paced half the time, trying to keep myself awake. Many times I found myself looking at Legolas, perhaps longer each time. I had to force myself to look away because I realized I could watch him all night long with out getting bored.

As the sun rose, I sat on a boulder and watched it rise. They usually woke up by themselves. Either that or the sun woke them up. I pulled my legs up and rested my chin on my knees.

Unsurprisingly, Legolas was the first one up and he came to stand next to me where I sat. I moved over so he could sit next to me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I leaned my head against him.

"Are they awake yet?" I asked.

"They will be soon."

I frowned. Why did they have to wake up so soon? Then a thought struck me. "Hey, just so you know, nothings going to happen."

"What do you mean?"

"I see the way you look at Aragorn when we get ready to ride. It's like your worried something will happen. I hope you know that I'll always be yours. Nothing will ever change that."

"Nothing?"

"Even if something terrible happened and we never saw each other again, I would stay true to you. Everything is going to be fine." I put my hand on his that held my shoulder. "Besides, it's best that I ride with Aragorn anyway."

"Why?"

"How are you supposed to remember what we're doing with me with you? It's not the best idea in the world for you to forget what you're supposed to be doing now. And I have to remember how to breathe."

"Ah."

I smiled. "I'm sorry I passed out on you last night."

"I like watching you; you look so beautiful."

I looked up at him; it was useless trying not to look at his eyes, so I just looked. I could hardly breathe.

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Reminding me why I fell in love in the first place. Your eyes take hold of me and I can't break away, though why I would want to I have no idea."

"Neither do I." I breathed.

"Breathe Elevain."

"I can't."

"Then close your eyes."

I did and suddenly I could breathe again. "I don't like breathing if it means I have to close my eyes whenever I look at you." I opened my eyes again and looked at him again. "I'll just have to teach myself how to breathe when I'm with you."

Everyone else started to stir as they woke up. I stretched and jumped down. Usually I would probably have slipped and had to catch myself, but as an elf I could do more things that I wouldn't have in my old life.

Legolas followed me down. We got our packs and sat waiting for everyone else. They seemed to take forever, and so Legolas and I ended up talking about random things that suddenly popped into my head. This happened a lot so we were very well occupied for the half hour that we waited.

He continually laughed at me, due to the fact that I kept such a straight face when I brought up new subject, or so he said. I couldn't keep a straight face for very long, hearing him laugh made me laugh as well. I took out Boromir's broach and began to twirl the leather strap between my fingers.

"Boromir's broach?"

"He gave it to me before he died. He wanted me to have it."

When we were finally ready to leave, I looked at Legolas meaningfully as Aragorn helped me up on Hasufel. He nodded as he helped Gimli up. Gandalf jumped nimbly up onto Shadowfax.

We rode straight on until about noon. I kept staring at Legolas and I constantly lost my breath and I had to look away. There were a few times when he caught me looking at him and he smiled. I smiled as well, but then had to look away so I could breathe. This was going to be very hard if I was going to learn to breathe when I looked at him. We stopped and saw Edoras on a hill right in front of us.

"Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is very strong."

I could see Éowyn in my mind, sitting next to the withered king. I sneered a little.

"Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here." Gandalf urged Shadowfax forward and we rode down the side of the hill we were on and then up the hill to Edoras.

The gate was open, which I thought would be maybe just a little weird for a city that puts it up in the first place. But times were bad; no, times were dire.

One of the flags was floating down and landed next to Aragorn and I. There was a white horse galloping in a field of green rimmed in gold.

The rode winded through the village at the base of the hill. I could feel the glances that the villagers were giving us. It made me uncomfortable. And this was just the beginning.

Aragorn and I looked up at the golden hall and saw Éowyn standing there, her hair was a mess. She had just been scared by Wormtongue I knew, and I felt sympathy for her.

Gimli's voice startled me. "You'll find more cheer in a graveyard."

"Not really, everyone in a graveyard is _dead_." I sniffed.

We finally made it up to the hall and Éowyn was nowhere in sight. We left the horses at the bottom of the steps and started to walk up.

At the top of the steps, we were met by Háma.

"Ah."

"I cannot allow you before Théoden king so armed, Gandalf Grayhame. By order of… Gríma Wormtongue." He sneered at the name.

Gandalf nodded to us, and we handed our weapons over to the guards. Well, Gimli and I handed them, and Legolas and Aragorn decided to show off. I rolled my eyes. _Men_, I thought. I was reluctant to give up the sword from Galadriel, I felt so light without it.

I never handed them my dagger. I almost forgot about it but decided to just leave it. However, then I thought about Pirates of the Caribbean, when Elizabeth went to Singapore and was constantly taking out weapons.

So I held up one finger, then bent down and pulled it out of its sheath. I didn't want to be thought about as a traitor or something like that. They eyed me, but I shook my head.

Háma looked at Gandalf. "Your staff."

"Eh? Oh. No, you would not part an old man from his walking stick?"

Háma looked at Gandalf and me, and then turned to let us in.

Gandalf winked and I gave him my arm. We walked in slowly.

* * *

**A/N: alright. here's the thing. i cant get on the computer alot, and i am nearing the point of my story where i have come to a dead end. (writers block sucks, did you know that?) any way, it will take me longer to update. i have multiple points on which to elaborate in up coming chapters and not a single clue as to how to do so. it wont be immediate chapters, probably somewhere in teh early twenties. **

**anyway... there you go. **

**love, **

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo  
**


	19. Fighting to meet the King

**A/N: ok, here's the next chapter. sorry it took me so long to update... limited comp time. :P **

**and sorry this is such a short chapter. there wasn't much i could do with it, so i did my best. ENJOY! all you peoples out there. ^_^ **

**Love, **

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo  
**

* * *

My hand itched to take Legolas' but I didn't want to raise any suspicion. I noticed the other "guards" pretty much sulking as they paced us in the hall. It was beautiful, but very dark.

Gríma shifted in his seat where he sat by the king, and spoke in his ear. He was albino pale with pale green eyes and very dirty long black hair.

The king looked terrible. He was pale as well, withered, and had long white wispy hair. His eyes were glazed over.

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King."

I stood straight and held my head looking straight forward as we walked in. I could see many of the "guards" watching me in particular, and I became a little fidgety, causing my hands to keep twitching. I don't know why all these men stare at me; I mean, I'm just another elf. What is with them?

Legolas looked straight forward with a hard face. His eyes were flicking from the guards and then to me as he watched their eyes and movements. I could tell he was getting about as anxious as me and I felt his familiar hand take mine and I squeezed as much as I dared.

"Why… should I… welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" The king's voice was weak, and strained.

Gríma whispered in Théoden's ear again. "A just question my liege." Then louder, "_Late_, is the hour at which this conjurer chooses to appear. Láthspell I name him. Ill news is and ill guest." He walked up to us and stopped in front of Gandalf.

I grimaced. He was extremely ugly up close. And he smelled bad.

"Be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth." Gandalf's voice was sharp. "I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!" He held his staff up to him.

I wished I had kept my dagger so that I could fork Gríma's tongue. He would look better that way, more like what he was.

"His staff! I _told _you to take the wizards staff!" he started to back away like a hurt child as the "guards" came out of the shadows.

We fought them, trying to keep them away from Gandalf so he could get to Théoden. I was much better at this fighting than I thought. When I was younger I couldn't even fight off Alex, my stupid next-door neighbor that constantly teased me. I let him push me around because I liked him, but when I didn't want to be pushed, I couldn't get him off me. So I started taking fighting classes.

The man I was fighting grabbed my foot as I tried to kick him. Without thinking, I braced myself, and jumped into a back flip. My right heel hit his jaw, and he let go of my left foot. I didn't think I would land, so when I did, I was really surprised.

Gandalf slowly approached Théoden where he was cowering in his throne. "Théoden, Son of Thengel. Too long have you sat in the shadows."

Gimli got Gríma on the floor and planted a foot on his chest. "I would stay still if I were you."

The guards were lying unconscious on the floor around us. I stood next to Legolas, in between him and Aragorn, watching Gandalf as he tried to cure Théoden.

"Harken to me! I release you from the spell…" He looked bent, as if trying to cure the king was draining his energy and stretching his abilities.

Théoden began to laugh. "You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey." He continued to laugh. Not the laugh of a withered and ancient king, but the laugh of Saruman in the king's body

Suddenly, Gandalf threw back his gray robe and revealed his new white ones. The room was filled with light and Théoden, startled, jumped back.

We continued to watch silently.

Gandalf started up the steps the throne. "I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." He pointed his staff at Théoden's head as he tried to squirm away.

He gave out a small cry. Éowyn rushed into the room and tried to go to Théoden, but I caught her arm. "Wait," I whispered. I probably just ruined the whole story. And then she looked at me. She looked so familiar for some reason, like I had seen her in person before. For a split second, something flashed on her face, like surprise, but was gone before I could tell what it was. She broke off the stare between us, looking back to the king, and I looked back with reluctance.

"If I go – Théoden _dies._" It wasn't the king's voice anymore, it was Saruman's. He was struggling to lean forward.

Again, Gandalf thrust his staff at the king and he flew against the back of the chair. "You did not kill me. You will not kill him."

"Rohan is mine!"

"Be gone!" With one last thrust, he sent the king flying back into the chair.

He began to slump forward and I let Éowyn go. She rushed up the steps and caught the king before he toppled. His face started to change. His hair grew darker, and thicker and shorter. The wrinkles smoothed, his eyes cleared and we were looking at a young face.

Gimli took his foot off Gríma's chest.

"I know your face. Éowyn – Éowyn." Théoden smiled and looked up at Gandalf. "Gandalf?"

"Breathe the free air again, my friend."

"Dark have been my dreams of late." He stood up and looked around.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better – if they grasped your sword." Gandalf took a step to the side to allow Háma to step forward, holding the kings sword.

He slowly reached out and touched the hilt, then grasped it and drew it out, as if Gandalf's words were true. The sound echoed through the hall, and the king turned his cold gaze on Gríma, who still cowered behind Gimli.

The guards took Gríma out of the hall and threw him down the stairs. I winced. We followed the king out and Legolas, Gimli, Éowyn and I stood at the edge of the platform, watching.

Gríma recovered but was not able to stand up. It was like he was limping on his hands. "I've only _ever _served you my lord." He tried to get away from the king who was giving him a deadly stare and stalking towards him with his sword.

"Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" He spat.

People started to gather at the foot of the steps.

"Send me not from your side!"

The king reached him and raised his sword to strike Gríma. Aragorn stopped the kings arms from completing the deadly arc aimed at Gríma's head.

"No my lord! No my lord. Let him go."

Théoden looked at him a bit confused, kind of like, "but… _why_?"

"Enough blood has been spilt on his account," Aragorn replied to the unspoken question and released the king's arm after making sure he understood. He then stretched his hand out to help Gríma to his feet, but he only spit on Aragorn's hand, got to his feet, and forced his way through the crowd. "Out of my way!" He snatched a horse and leapt on its back, wheeling the poor beast out of Edoras towards Isengard.

Aragorn knelt before the king. "Hail, Théoden, King!"

Théoden straightened and looked over the crowd as if for the first time as they knelt and we bowed our heads from where we stood.

He looked around, seeming even more confused. "Where is Théodred? Where is my son?"


	20. Too Random For a Single Title

**A/N: hey there! i don't know if this is a long chapter or not... probably no. anyway, i hope you like it. it's taken me a while. sorry about that. but, thanks to myrle16 for being my beta read. i love you all! **

**and sorry for the title. i couldn't come up with a good one. anyway.  
**

**Love,**

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo ^_^  
**

* * *

Théoden was devastated.

We were given our weapons as Théodred's body was prepared and Éowyn and Théoden got ready for the funeral that was to take place. Now we stood around not knowing what to do. We had been shown to the communal sleeping room where we would stay. I knew the stay would not be long, and I wondered if anyone else had the same feeling I did; nervousness in the pit of my stomach, twisting it in to a butterfly knot and letting it loose.

Legolas and I were the only two in the room, Aragorn was off with Gandalf and Gimli was… well I didn't really know where Gimli was. Anyway, Legolas and I were the only ones in the room at the time, and he was pacing back and forth like a caged tiger while I watched him, thinking.

_I don't get it. We both know we love each other, so why is it so hard for us to talk to each other? It's so confusing. _It was like we were too shy to even look at each other. Which was true because I still blushed when he caught me looking at him. But then I made up my mind. I didn't want it to be this way anymore; it was too… I don't know. It was too something.

Legolas came over and stood beside me, sighing and not looking at me.

I reached up to take his face, but just then, he pushed off the wall and started pacing again. I heaved a sigh, blowing the one group of obnoxious bangs out of my face, and continued to watch him, frowning. I had been planning on just kissing him, but he wouldn't stop pacing. It was making me giddy.

"You're making me giddy." I said, in an annoyed monotone.

He didn't answer, he just kept pacing.

I pushed off of the pillar and stood in front of him to make him stop. "Hello? Middle Earth to Legolas. Why are you p-"

He kissed me.

"What was that for?"

He almost smiled. "I thought that since both of us know we love each other, there's no reason why we need to be shy, correct? So, if there is no reason, why are we?"

"You seem to have read my mind, your highness," I said jokingly.

He kissed me again, for two seconds and then pulled back just enough to speak. "There's a reason why I don't have people call me 'Prince Legolas' or 'Your Highness'."

"And what is that reason, Your Highness?" I used the words again, purposefully, wondering if they had the same affect on him that his whole being had on me.

"I seem to have forgotten that reason."

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, the doors swung open and we both straightened quikly, and I wondered why we both had guilty looks on our faces.

Éowyn came in. "Are you Elevain?" she was wearing a gold circlet on her head, a black velvet type dress, and her hair was up in a very formal bun.

I nodded.

"My uncle wanted me to help a bit, and to tell you that there were baths drawn for you and they are ready."

"Thank you."

"Please, come with me." She led me to yet another room. She helped me wash my hair. Although, I don't understand why she didn't let me do it myself or why she didn't let the "ladies in waiting" help me.

When I got out, she gave me a dark green dress, similar to the one she was wearing. It was longer, so it wouldn't be too short. After I finally got it on, she started brushing my hair.

"You know, my shoes don't exactly match the dress."

"Don't worry; no one will be looking at your feet."

I shot her a glance, immediately recognizing the line from Ever After, a movie my cousins were particularly fond of.

She looked at me, giving me an innocently confused look. "Elevain?" her eyes gave me nothing.

"Nothing, just a memory."

"Oh. Your hair is done." She had put it up in a braid and then in a bun like her own. It would be surly when I took it out. Yay.

"Thank you." I stood up and just kind of stood there.

"You're welcome." She smiled warmly and then left the room.

Legolas came in. His hair was still a bit damp, although still in the two fishtails above his ears and the one that pulled his hair out of his face. I should probably remember to do that. My hair got annoying sometimes. ""you're staring at me."

Oops.

"Yes, yes I am." _Thank you, Captain Obvious, _I thought as I looked away again.

"Why?"

"I don't know… just having a moment."

"You look lovely."

"Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself."

He smiled. "Shall we?" he offered me his arm. "it's just about time."

"Why thank you kind sir."

"You are not like anyone else are you?"

"are you just realizing this?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and taking his arm.

"no, I'm merely stating it out loud."

"Oh, I see."

"yes. And now, we must go outside." He kissed my nose, smiled a little, and led me out of the room, down the hall, and into the blinding sunlight.

The funeral went by me like the wind. All I can remember is the saddened words of Éowyn's song ringing in my ears. The king was solemn the entire time, no one single word or tear. Until it was over.

Next thing I knew, we were all gathered in the Communal room; and by all I mean, Gimli, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Éowyn, Theoden, Hama and I. plus the two young children that had just about crawled into the city on a horse almost dead from exhaustion.

Freda and Eothen were eating as if they hadn't eaten in days. Éowyn was with them, Gimli and Aragorn were sitting at a table, eating and smoking, and Legolas and I were standing against a pillar.

"They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the Wildmen are moving through westfold, burning as they go, every rick, cot and tree." Éowyn gently put a blanket around Freda's thin shoulders.

"Where's mama?" there was true terror in her voice.

"Hush."

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven mad by the fear of Sauron." Gandalf sat by the king's side. "Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight." He put his hand on the chair's arm, trying to convince the king.

"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Eomer is loyal to you. His men will return to fight for their king." that was Aragorn.

"They will be three hundred leagues from here by now! Eomer cannot help us." Theoden stood up and started pacing.

Gandalf stood too, opening his mouth to try once more but the king beat him to the punch.

"I know what it is that you want of me. But I would not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war." He turned to look at Gandalf.

"Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not."

Theoden turned to glare. "Last I looked, Theoden, Not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."

"It doesn't matter who the king is. Either you fight or you die. Is as simple as that. And sooner or later, you are going to have to fight."

Legolas shifted slightly, clearing his throat.

"So, what's the king's decision?"

He started pacing again, then went and sat on his throne that looked less than uncomfortable. "I have decided," he finally said. "That the city must empty. Hama , tell the people to empty. Take only what they need, for we will return."

Hama bowed and left.

"And secondly, I have decided that you are the most interesting woman I have ever met. No woman has ever spoken thusly to me, nor dressed likewise."

_Like I haven't heard _that_ before. _"Yeah, I know. Your nephew told me. Now, we have to empty the city right? Well then, let's hop to it." I wisely decided to just drop the elf/woman thing. It took too much effort.


	21. Leaving Edoras

**A/N: i'm back! sorry it's taken so long. i've been caught up with tennis matches and ap english homework and all that good stuff. but now i'm back. so here is the next chapter. hope you like it! **

**and in case you all didn't know, i have a facebook page for Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo if you wanna check it out. i gotta get to work uploading some pix and story ideas and such, but i should (hopefully) have something up soon other then useless status'. **

**Enjoy! **

**Love, **

**Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo ^_^  
**

* * *

Back at the room we sere supposed to have slept in, I quickly changed my clothes. I strapped my sword back onto my side and my quiver with my two short swords on my back. I felt batter with them on. My vambraces went back on my forearms and my cloak on my neck. I started to fell normal again. I let my hair fall down before turning it into a single braid starting at the nape of my neck. And then Legolas came back.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" I asked. Silly question. I knew what he was talking about.

"You know what I mean." He backed me into a wall, or pillar or something and rested his arm above my head, looking down on me.

"Oh, you mean what just happened?" I tried not to show him how… distracted he was making me. Everything was becoming a blur. Everything but him.

"Yes. What was that?"

He was coming closer and closer. I forgot what we were talking about almost immediately; instead the realization of what I'd done consumed my mind. I'd risked my secret origins by talking out of context. I had usually been so careful about what I was saying, in fear of having my secret being discovered. And just then, I let my guard down and spoken out of context. I'd just about revealed where I was really from! Ha, great. "I think you lost me." I tried to find anything that would create a diversion away from what just happened.

"Don't worry, I can find you." His breath fanned across my face, making my knees go weak and the butterflies in my stomach flap harder. My face flushed as his lips hovered over mine, barely touching.

"Are you sure about that? I've gone pretty far." My voice betrayed my helplessness.

"Positive." He pressed his lips to mine and everything disappeared. My brain shorted out.

And then, Gimli came in. he cleared his throat and huffed. "I don't think we should leave you two alone anymore."

I slipped out from under Legolas and continued gathering my things, suddenly loving Gimli more than anything. _What was that all about? _"That was all Legolas. Blame him."

"Oh thank you."

"You're welcome, love." I smiled over my shoulder at Legolas.

He shook his head in mock distraught, and we continued to gather our things… which were just about non-existent.

Outside, Háma was shouting orders to the people.

I grabbed the saddle bags and started to make my way out of the Hall. Legolas rushed out behind me.

"You walk much faster and your feet will be burning."

"we need to go. The king needs as much help as he can get."

It took us only a few minutes to get to the stables. Aragorn was walking down to the end with Gandalf. I almost expected to see the wizard lift Pippin up onto Shadowfax; until I realized that there was still about a week, maybe longer, until I would see him again.

A week is a long time.

My eyes watered as I realized just how much I missed him. What if… what if he wasn't safe? What if neither of them were safe? What if something happened between the time me met Gandalf and got here?

I jerked my head to the north, looking towards Fangorn.

"Elevain?"

My head snapped back towards Legolas and my forehead made contact with his nose.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!"

"It's okay…" reflex tears were already in his eyes. "I'm fine." He held his nose and massaged it.

"I'm so sorry!" I covered my mouth with my hands.

"Elevain its fine-"

He suddenly jerked me out of the way of Gandalf's galloping horse.

"… thanks." I ran my fingers through my hair nervously.

"What's the matter?"

"hunh?" I looked over at him. "Nothings the matter. I'm fine."

"Elevain."

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong I swear!"

"Then why do you gaze to the north with a far away look in your eyes like you wish to run away?"

"I just… it's nothing." I tried to get past him into the stables, but he moved into my way. "I just want Pippin and Merry to be safe."

"They are safe."

"But what if they're not? What if something happened to them?"

"Nothing will happen to them. Gandalf even said they were in safe hands with Treebeard. What could possibly happen?"

"A lot could possibly happen. This is Merry and Pippin we're talking about. These are the ones that dropped a skeleton down a deserted well in the middle of Moria and brought everything from Hell's half acre down on us."

"You sound angry about this." He tilted his head to one side.

"I'm not! I'm worried that they'll do something stupid again!"

He put his fore finger on my mouth. "Shhhhhh... they'll be fine. I'll admit I'm worried too because I don't know what's going to happen, but none of us do. We're walking blind in this, not knowing if we've made the right choices. We won't know until the end."

I looked away, ashamed that I still couldn't tell him that I knew exactly what was going to happen. My stomach twisted.

"Come. We need to get ready."

I took his outstretched hand as he led me to Hasufel to saddle him. I wondered when Aragorn was going to calm Brego when I realized he already had when I was freaking out about Pippin… the people of the city were already beginning to be led out of the city by the king.

"Crap…" I muttered.

Aragorn came up beside me. "Are you ready?"

"I will be in a moment. I just need to finish saddling Hasufel…" I buckled the saddle and strapped on the bags. "All done."

Aragorn stepped into the stirrup and swung his leg over the horses back, then held out his hand to help me up.

I squeaked when he pulled me up instead of letting me jump up. How was he so strong? And then I remembered who I was thinking about and mentally kicked myself for being so stupid.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Aragorn set the horse at a trot and we caught up with the king and soon Legolas and Gimli joined us as we rode out of the city we had just come to hours earlier…

The sun set and the sky became a rainbow of gold and pink.


	22. The Attack and then some

**A/N: I'm back! ain't ya proud? of course you are. ANYWAY. Here be chapter 22. **

**and, i'm not sure who all has seen "Labyrinth" with David Bowie (one of the best movies ever... so funny...), but i have decided to write a story about Labyrinth.  
**

**SO, i guess i should start doing a disclaimer... I sadly do not own Lord of the Rings... only as a DVD... if I did, Legolas would be real... but alas, he is not... sadness here. Now, on with the story! **

* * *

The journey was long and slow. I left Hasufel with Aragorn most of the time and walked along with Legolas. I told him stories of when I was young, careful not to give any hint of where I was from.

It hurt not to tell him, to keep my secret this long, hidden like a murderer hides a body and all evidence of his hunt. Wow… didn't know I thought _that _violently. Oops.

"Elevain?"

"Hm?" I moved my head to show I was listening but continued to stare unseeingly at the ground before my feet.

"What happened? After you woke up?"

"They were gone. Both cousins… Anteara and Chanté. I couldn't eat for months… my parents became worried that I would over work myself with as much time I was spending working on archery and swordplay…"

"Every elf-ling practices archery and swordplay. Even before they can wield a sword or bow."

"Not the way I was, I assure you. I breathed, talked and thought archery and swordplay. They caught me many a night still awake going through drills. I hardly ate. I couldn't sleep many nights. There were times I spent an entire night practicing… there were times I didn't sleep for about a week… they almost had to tie me up and lock me in my quarters to get me to stop."

"It's a wonder you didn't die…"

"Yes…"

"Why didn't you?"

"I got over it. I suppose. I don't know why I didn't die…" we were silent then. _Because I wasn't an elf then… _

"What did you say?"

"I don't know why-"

"No, after that."

"I didn't say anything." I looked at him frowning. _He can't possibly hear my thoughts… can he? _

He shook his head, as if shaking it off and we continued walking in silence, my hand in his, until we camped. It was early to be setting up camp, but with the few extra hundred people it was necessary. I noticed Aragorn trying to suffer through Eowyn's cooking and giggled. Apparently he heard and shot me a glare. I only grinned and shrugged. He rolled his eyes.

"What's so funny?" Legolas asked, carrying a stack of dried out twigs to start a small fire.

"Nothing really." I turned my back on Aragorn and started to pull the blankets out of the saddle bags and spread them out side by side.

"Planning on sleeping next to Aragorn tonight?"

"He can use the blankets from your saddle bags. He's a big boy he can fend for himself."

"The way you talk amuses me sometimes," he said, grinning at me.

"Happy to be of assistance." I knelt down on one of the blankets and slid myself forward, sighing.

He shook his again and took the 'firewood' to Aragorn.

The night passed slowly and I didn't dream much, mostly about Legolas.

The next morning those of us from the Fellowship woke early and packed up. The people from Edoras woke up a few hours later and took longer to pack up. And eat. And get ready to finish the trek to Helms Deep.

It wasn't even lunch time, let alone past elevensies when Legolas and I went ahead of the group with Hama and Gamling.

We stood on a high rock, a short distance behind the two guards. Areobeleth hung at my waist, my bow was strung over my shoulder and my two short swords were in between my quiver and my back. Legolas' weapons were organized in a similar fashion. We stood scanning the landscape and I watched the horses as they became restless. The blood drained from my face as I took Legolas' hand; this would not end well.

"What is it? Háma?" Gamling looked around.

"I'm not sure." Hama was doing the same.

And then a warg emerged from the top off the cliff next to them, a short distance away from us. It jumped on Háma, knocking him form his horse and killing him. Gamling tried to engage the scout but the horse was too giddy and the warg was too blood thirsty and got between the fight. Legolas let go of my hand, leapt off the ledge and killed the warg before running to finish off the scout. Had he been a little faster, it wouldn't have been able to sound the alarm. Wait, scratch that. If I had not been frozen in shock at the sight of the mountain lion, wolf monstrosity and shot the scout then it would not have been able to sound the alarm. Blast it all!

Legolas kicked the uruk away, and called over his shoulder to Aragorn. "A scout!" his face looked murderous. I ran down to join Legolas in order to help keep the attack at bay.

Horrified, Aragorn ran back to the king and Legolas and I shot at the attacking wargs from the top of the hill. They looked like termites or ants pouring over the edge. They were ugly creatures, reminding me of the Kalkara from _Ranger's Apprentice_. Their hair looked matted down, like it was woven with wax. I could hear Èowyn arguing with Théoden.

"You must lead the people to Helm's Deep and make haste."

"I can fight!"

"No! You must do this – for me."

I knew that she kept eye contact with the king before she gave in and continued to urge the people onward, away from where the wargs were attacking.

Apparently Legolas thought that was a good idea. "Go with her."

"What? Why? I can fight just as well as-"

"You know why! Just please go."

I stopped shooting, and sighed almost saying that if I left now I would fight the next time, but decided against it. He would go berserk. "Fine. Just–don't die. Please? I love you." I made him stop shooting so I could give him a kiss before I ran off, strapping my bow over my head.

Aragorn had Hasufel so I had to walk, but that just meant that I could walk with Éowyn. She looked at me a little confused. She was a very stern and strong woman, and she rarely laughed. It was joyous when she did, everyone was happy then. But knowing what she had been through probably made it hard for her to laugh, which was why it was a rarity.

"Men," I said.

"What happened?"

"Legolas thinks that if he sends me away from the fight, he's protecting me. Over-protective elf. I can fight just as well as he can, and he knows it."

"I know what you mean. My uncle is always trying to protect me."

I rolled my eyes. "Men. They think they know everything."

She laughed a little and I snapped my eyes over to her semi stoic face. "Well, if you know you're as good as him, and you could survive, so will he."

I smiled. "This is true." I started to feel queasy. "Can-can I tell you something?" How could I tell her the biggest secret I had?

"Of course," she replied.

"You cannot tell anyone though. I know its wrong of me to keep this from Legolas, but I can't bring myself to tell him. I'm not from this world. I'm from a world where this journey is written in books, and all the creatures here are fantasy. And now I'm a part of it. I don't know why I was brought here. I don't even know if I'm going back. I don't really want to. I mean of course I'll miss everyone there if I don't go back, but I love Legolas more than anyone, or anything in the world. Where I come from, I was almost like an elf even though they don't exist there. But I was the best at archery and the best at swordplay and at combat." I stopped. "But when I came here, I was even better. And I could speak elvish and understand it—I'm sorry. I'm not making any sense at all. But it's like I know everything."

She didn't say anything.

"You probably don't understand."

"No, I do."

"You do?"

She nodded. "I think you should talk to Gandalf. He's very wise and could help you. When you said it's like you know everything, does that mean you know what will happen?"

"Yes. But I can't tell you what happens. I don't want to change anymore than I already have, although I am almost certain that I will in the future. There's no telling what could happen." _Not anymore… _"I wish I could tell you, so much, but I just can't…"

"I understand."

"Thank you." We walked along silently for a while before she spoke up again.

"You know you're going to have to tell Legolas sometime. I've seen him watch you. He watches you sleep. He loves you, so very much."

"I know." _But when? When could I tell him? And how? _I sighed. "It's just-"

Suddenly everyone was crying with relief as Helm's Deep came into view. They pulled Éowyn along with them. I watched her go, and envied her. She could trust her future. She would meet Faramir in the houses of healing, and eventually allow herself to fall in love again. She didn't have to worry every second about suddenly being whisked away to a different place and leave her love behind.


	23. Realizations and Revelations

**A/N: hello my lovelies! I'm back! finally... so here is chapter 23, sorry that it took so long. **

**DISCLAIMER: I, sadly, do not own Lord of the Rings. Only the OCs that I have created. **

**On with the story! **

**BRTxoxo**

* * *

We slowly filed through the gates. It was huge, but seemed small with all the people in it. I knew the king would soon be coming, and I found myself wandering around for a while worrying about Legolas. With a frustrated sigh I began helping where I could, giving out small portions of food, helping people settle and giving out blankets, folding clothes and blankets, doing menial tasks that bored me to no end and left me with too much thinking time. I hated thinking. I shouldn't even be worrying about Legolas because I _know _that he returns.

I handed a young boy a blanket.

"Thank you my lady." He seemed to be around fifteen years of age. He had hair the color of rust, eyes the color of evergreens, and a dash of freckles across the bridge of his nose.

"You're welcome." I smiled softly and continued on.

"My name is Vukmyl, son of Vratislav. You are the she-elf that came with Lord Gandalf, are you not?" He was tall, almost as tall as I, and lanky. The boy named Vukmyl (vook-mile… I'm guessing that's how you pronounce it) stood up and began to follow me.

"I am. My name is Elevain. It's nice to meet you Vukmyl." I smiled again and held out my hand to shake his, a habit I had picked up from my few visits to America and he brought it to his lips. I laughed.

"You laugh. Why do you laugh?"

"Where I come from young Vukmyl, some people shake hands to greet each other. But that is far away from here."

"I have never heard of elves that shake hands… they greet each other in the way of the elves, do they not?" he continued to follow me and I felt myself drawn to the young Rohan boy. He looked almost adorable as he attempted to figure out what I was talking about.

I laughed again. "They do indeed. It's difficult to explain. I'm not from a land of only elves."

"I suppose that would make sense. Would you mind if I accompanied you today?"

"Please. Knock yourself out. It'd be nice to have someone to talk to."

"You speak so strangely. Why would I want to knock myself out?"

I laughed yet again and a few of the villagers and select other Rohan people smiled. "Sorry. That's another thing. We speak differently where I come from."

Vukmyl nodded and handed the blanket he had taken from me to another villager.

"Where do you come from, Vukmyl?"

"Aldburg, east and south of Edoras."

"How is it that you are here so much earlier than we are? We just came from Edoras."

"My father is a warrior in the kings army. I lost my mother in a tiny orc raid. Many people left so I went with them. I've been here for about a fortnight."

My heart went out to him. "I am so sorry for your loss." I gently set my hand on his shoulder and he seemed to blush.

At that moment, a sentry called out that the king was entering the Deep and I jumped. "Excuse me won't you?" I ran down the steps and through the arched hall way to where the rest of our "posse" was entering the fortress. Eowyn was there as the king dismounted and I stood on a crate to find my elvin prince.

He spotted me first and called my name, lightly jumping off Arod. I hardly saw Gimli fall off the large horse and pick himself up.

I met Legolas in the space the crowd had given the guard and hugged him tightly.

"Thank Valar you're safe. I thought some of the wolves that escaped had come here."

I silently rolled my eyes but held him tighter at the brokenness that sounded in his voice.

He tightened his arms even more when Gimli brokenly told Eowyn that Aragorn had fallen off a cliff. My heart constricted as I began to panic, my mind racing through thoughts that maybe he hadn't survived. Just at that thought, the tears came and rolled down my face. I began to cry harder. If there was one thing I learned so far, it was that watching this happen on a screen is nowhere near watching this happen in front of you.

Trust me.

I was soon in full out sobbing mode. In the movies, I knew he came back. I _knew_. With this, being in the journey, in this world, where anything could happen since I was here and already altered the universe, I was _terrified_. My knees started shaking.

"I'm sorry, Elevain." Legolas gently let me down to the ground, kneeling with me, and I fell off of my knees and into him, hanging on the front of his tunic.

"He's my brother…" I choked out. This whole "girl-goes-to-Middle-Earth-and-joins-the-Fellowship" thing is way harder than those fan-fiction stories make it out to be. So much for being prepared. And here I thought it was hard when we lost Gandalf.

"I know. He was mine too. We'll get through this. I swear."

I looked up to his face and saw a few stray tears rolling down his face as well.

"My Lady? Is everything all right?"

I sniffed and wiped my face off hurriedly. "No, not really Vukmyl. But it's nothing you need to worry about right now."

"Elevain." Legolas took my face in his warm hands and looked into my eyes.

Once again my breath left me.

"I swear. We will get through this."

"If we don't, I'm going to slap you." I stood up and brushed off my knees. I was getting better at breathing and looking into Legolas' eyes at the same time. Wonder what it was that was helping.

"You will slap me?"

"What else am I supposed to do?" I sniffed again, this time holding the tears at bay.

"Lady Elevain, do you need any help?" the lanky red head persisted and remained by my side.

"Maybe a little later Vukmyl." I left the two males to help another soldier carry a wounded man to where they were being treated.

"Are you a healer, lady elf?" the man we had carried was gently laid onto a cot and his comrade looked at me hopefully. His eyes were pale green.

"Nay, I am not. I wish I was though…" I tried to get him as comfortable as I could and removed the soiled clothing from his wound with the help of the other man before he sat down. He removed his helmet, revealing a mass of auburn hair. "Pray tell sir, what is your name?" I asked him as he looked at the man we had brought in.

"I am Vratislav. I am a soldier in the kings' army. This is a friend of mine, Earvin. We come from Aldburg. I have heard there was an orc raid on that city not long ago. Tell me, have you heard anything of it?" He stood up and laid a hand on my wrist, and when I looked over to him, his eyes were misty. "My son was there with my wife, but I have heard no tale of them."

"I apologize, but I have not."

His face fell.

"I have just arrived with the people of Edoras and the king. But sir, what is your son's name?" maybe something good would come of this after all.

"He is Vukmyl. Have you heard anything?"

I smiled lightly. "Come with me." I took his hand, gently reassuring him that Earvin was in capable hands, and led him out to the crowd. _I wonder where he went off to… _

_Where who went off to? _

_Vuk- _I stumbled mid thought. What the Valar was that?

"Is everything all right, lady elf?"

Did I just _hear _Legolas' voice in my _head_? Or did he speak out loud? I looked around, dropping Vratislav's hand. Legolas was nowhere in sight. "I thought I heard something…" _I wonder… can you hear me Legolas?_

_Elevain? Why are you inside my head? _

"Holy shitake mushrooms!" I pushed my palms against my temples, realization sinking in. Legolas and I are telepathic.

"Lady Elf?"

I was brought out of my epiphany and I looked at the man next to me. "Forgive me, my name is Elevain. I am sorry about that. Please come with me." I went searching for the red head, trying not to think. It wasn't working out so well. I could not stop thinking about the revelation.

"Lady Elevain, the Dwarf Gimli is looking for you."

I stopped and looked over at Vukmyl. "There you are. I was- I mean, we were looking for you."

I stepped aside to reveal the elder man, as tall as the boy before us.

"Vukmyl?"

"Father?"

Vratislav dropped the helmet he had been carrying and embraced his son fiercely. "You are alive! Thank heaven!"

I smiled silently as father and son were reunited.

"But what of your mother?" he held the boy at arms-length and Vukmyl began to cry.

"She was killed. I did what I could to try and save her but it was not enough. I am sorry father. I failed…" he fell into his father's embrace, weeping for the loss of his mother.

"No, no my son. You survived. You are alive and did what you could."

My eyes began to burn with tears and I turned away, bumping into Legolas.

"Elevain, Gimli is searching for you."

I looked into his sapphire eyes. "Why?"

"He would not say. Were you… were you in my head?"

"I thought you were in my head!"

"It has been rumored that some elves can form bonds so strong they can hear each-others thoughts."

_But how can that be? Especially since I'm- _ I broke off again. Blast it all! "Are we allowed to block thoughts?"

"It is hard to say. Tis only rumored after all."

"If it's only a rumor that how can we hear each-others thoughts? Where is Gimli, so I may find out what he wants."

"This way. Tell me, love, why are you suddenly taking on the way of our talk? You've never talked like us for more than a few hasty words."

"I find that people call me for what I am, other than what they mistake me as. Come, where is Gimli?"

_I liked the way she talked before… it was rather amusing. _

_You know you could have just told me that._ I thought in response. This could prove entertaining.

_Oh for the love of Valar! _

I laughed a bit and gently kissed his warm cheek. "Don't worry. Things will work out."

The elvin prince shot a look at me, catching the double meaning behind my words and took my arm in his, gently kissing the back of my hand.

"Elevain, please tell me something."

I broke eye contact with Legolas, taking in a breath I hadn't known I was missing, and looked at a distraught Eowyn.

"Elevain… please tell me… will he come back?" there were tears already marking trails down her porcelain face.

Once again, I came to grips with the realization that I truly did not know what was going to happen, not anymore. "I do not know. Nothing is for certain now." My voice broke and I lowered my face, unable to bare the haunted look in her eyes any longer.

"Please excuse us, shield maiden." Legolas took me away from the woman that I found so familiar and over to a very stoic dwarf. Not that he wasn't usually stoic, but this time… this time he was worse. He had a blank look on his face. It scared me. "Gimli."

He didn't move.

"Everyone says that you've been looking for me." I sat next to him, pulling my knees up to my chest, and took Boromir's old broach out, twirling it in my fingers again.

"Lassie…" his voice was broken which scared me even more. It's amazing how actually experiencing something changes you. "Ye seem to know when something is about to happen, before it actually does. And yer' always so calm during times like these. Do ye know what will happen?" his deep brown eyes were mangled with unshed tears of grief.

"No," I whispered brokenly, shaking my head. "I don't know. Not anymore." I dropped my head in my knees and crossed my arms over them.

Legolas sat beside me and draped his arm over my shoulders, murmuring elvish sympathies in my ear while Gimli gently patted my back.

So much for knowing what happens.


	24. Unwelcome and Welcome Gifts

**A/N: Hello! Did you miss me? I hope you all haven't given up on me. I've finally finished this chapter! It's supposed to maybe have a little humor, but I don't think it really does. I'm not that great at writing humor. Sorry about that. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: I only own my OCs. **

**Love, **

**BRTxoxo**

* * *

I had quite finished sobbing by the time the sun was setting. Legolas and Gimli had left me alone at my request and I was now walking along the Deeping Wall watching the sun set over the mountains. It was so beautiful here. Why would Saruman-never mind. I knew the answer to that.

Why am I suddenly worried about everything? And where was my Zoloft?

I stopped walking, staring directly at the mountain top in front of me. The last golden rays of the setting sun never registered in my brain. That's why. I guess I forgot to mention that I have extreme anxiety and panic attacks. It had been months since I last taken my medication. Why hadn't the symptoms increased since then? Or shown up till now?

I slowly walked backwards until my back hit the wall and slid down into a sitting position with my knees pulled up to my chest.

_This isn't good,_ I thought to myself. How could I have forgotten about this and my medications? How am I supposed to cope now? Now I won't be able to control my thoughts or anything and I'm going to get panic attacks and freeze up during a battle and I won't be able to move and I'll get hurt and die and then Legolas would die or he would die trying to save me and fix me and-

"Elevain?" Legolas appeared at the end of the wall and once he spotted me, ran to my side. "Elevain what's going on?"

I was breathing hard, my heart was racing, and I wasn't thinking right. Well, guess I know when my next panic attack is coming. Crap. I tried to tell him. I couldn't speak.

"Elevain please… tell me what's wrong!"

_I'm having a panic attack dang it! I can't breathe! _

"A panic attack?" his voice was incredulous. "Elevain what do you need?"

My vision was getting hazy from lack of air because I wasn't breathing right. _Zoloft,_ I thought. Why did I have to be sent here without my medications? My vision finally went out and I lost consciousness.

When I regained consciousness, I was laying on a cot in the back of the makeshift infirmary, craving chocolate. Gimli was passed out snoring in the corner and Legolas was pacing at my bedside. I groaned at the pain in my back and sat up to stretch. Legolas was kneeling at my side instantly.

"Thank goodness you're awake." He gently stroked my hair and cheek. "Are you feeling better now? You looked as though you were about to die…"

I looked over at him and saw the relief in his eyes pushing out the edged panic. "I'm sorry, it's just that… I have a problem… and it's really big." I felt like I was about to cry. I changed the subject with a sniff. I wasn't ready to let him know where I was from. Not yet. "What time is it?"

"Nearly midnight. You gave me such a fright. When I told Gimli he nearly had a panic attack himself. You should not scare us like that. Why have you never told us you had this problem?"

"I um… I guess I forgot." I turned away from him. Do they even have chocolate here? Or ice cream? Ice cream started to sound _really _good.

"Elevain how could you forget something like this? This could end up being the death of you!"

I whipped my head around. "You think I don't know that? I know I could die! I'm sorry when I got here I was a little surprised about everything and wondering what the Hades was going on to remember that I had extreme anxiety! Everything happened so fast I had no time to think." I sighed pinched the bridge of my nose. "I guess it's not really too extreme, but it was bad enough I would have to take medications every so often, usually two or three times a month just to avoid the symptoms." I leaned back onto the bed and tried not to cry. What is it with me and crying now?

Gimli let out a particularly loud snore that sounded like a strangled cough and nearly fell off the chair he was on. He jolted awake, nearly yelling, and wielded his axe in a very menacing manner. His thick, curly red hair was disheveled and knotted, and his hazel eyes had a wild look in them before he realized that nothing was wrong and no one was in danger. "Oh… sorry," he grumbled and set his axe against the wall. "Ah lassie! You're awake!"

"Yes, I am. I thank you for your concern."

"Lassie, next time you decide to have one of your… panic attacks, let us know beforehand so that we don't have one ourselves." The dwarf gently patted my shoulder.

"It's not like I plan on having them, they come up on me unexpectedly. It's terrifying. I can't breathe and I get this mindset of catastrophic thinking, and I can't stop. Sometimes I start shaking and getting convulsions, other times I scream uncontrollably. It's hard to keep a relationship when you have problems like that." I ran my fingers through my hair and sat up again, pulling my knees up to my chest.

I wanted to sleep, and at the same time I _really _wanted a half gallon of ice cream and bucket loads of chocolate. A dull ache suddenly manifested at the bottom of my back, above my tail bone. _Weird, _I thought. _That only happens when-_ and then I knew. All at once why I wanted to cry so much, why I wanted so much junk food, why back hurt. I groaned in frustration and laid back down, turned onto my stomach, and pulled the itchy blanket over my head. This could not get any worse.

"Elevain are you ill?"

"What," I mumbled from the corner of my mouth that wasn't smashed into the lumpy straw pillow.

"The blood suddenly seemed to leave your face and you sounded as if you were going to be sick. Although you cannot possibly be ill, the elvin race cannot succumb to the ails of mortals."

_That's what you think,_ I rolled my eyes. It was a wonder he didn't hear me. "I just need sleep." My head levitated a few inches above the pillow, my words muffled slightly by the blanket. "And I'm sorry in advance if tomorrow I'm fine and suddenly get angry." With that, I let my head fall and went back to sleep. Mother Nature truly does love to come at the worst times to give out her monthly gift.

The next day, just before noon, Eowyn found me sitting in a secluded corner, with my knees drawn up to my chest. My back pain had worsened, and I was beginning to get cramps. It hurt immensely.

"Lady Elevain, are you alright?" she knelt in front of me, her pale blue eyes looking me over with worry. "Lord Legolas said he thought you were ill and told me where I could find you."

I looked at her with a forced smile. "I'm fine. I promise." My voice cracked a bit and I winced as another cramp made itself known.

Her eyes flicked back and forth as she looked into mine and a small knowing look seemed to creep across her face. "Come with me." The Rohan woman pulled me to my feet and led me to the place where she had slept. From the saddlebags she had packed she pulled out a small leather pouch and placed it in my hands. "This will help." She then left me alone as I held the pouch and my cramping stomach.

I hesitantly opened the pouch and looked inside. I started laughing, partly because of what was inside, and partly because I had absolutely no clue how she would have gotten her hands on such items. I looked again and smiled.

Inside the pouch were marshmallows-not the kind you eat, the feminine product marshmallows. There were also small tablets that were most likely midol or something akin to it.

How in middle earth did she get these? For now I couldn't contemplate the question as I was too excited to have something that would be so very useful to my predicament. I silently thanked Eowyn, took what I needed and left.

Life suddenly didn't look so bad.


	25. Arguments and More Secrets Revealed

**A/N: Hey look! I updated! Ain't ya proud? I'm so _glad _I _finally _got this chapter done, and I'll be working on chapter 26 ASAP. I hope you like it. Please Review. I love reviews. They make me happy. And maybe even update faster. **

**BRTxoxo**

* * *

Not five minutes later, after I'd finished my business with Mother Nature, a commotion could be heard at the gate. The name Aragorn was repeated, and the sound waves wafted into my ears as I sat in my corner from before. _He's alive…_ I jumped to my feet and ran down the stairs.

Gimli was already there, expressing his joy at Aragorn's return.

"Gimli," the ranger gently pealed the dwarf off of his body, "where is the-"

My body hit his with extreme force, blowing him away from Gimli, and into Brego. The horse neighed his discomfort at being hit after such a long run and side stepped. Aragorn staggered around, the air in his lungs crushed out of him from my impact. He grunted in pain.

I wrapped my arms around his damp and beaten thin form. "Don't you ever do that to me again, jack ass. Not cool." My face was hid in the front of his jerkin, and the few tears that slipped out were lost in the dampness of his clothing.

"Greetings to you too, Elevain." There were hints of pain traced in his voice. "It is good to see you too." He gave my shoulders a squeeze before pulling back to look at me tiredly.

I punched his chest. "Next time you plan on falling off a cliff and pretending to die, let us know that you'll still be alive and just playing a prank."

He winced.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" my fingers fluttered a bit.

He rolled his eyes. "Elevain, I fell off a cliff. Would you not be in pain if you did so as well?"

"I'd probably be dead, actually. You're lucky." I fixed his cape from Lorien, pulling it over his shoulders and refastening it with the leaf pin. "Do you still have Pippin's broach?"

"Do you still have Boromir's?"

I glanced sharply at his face. "I'm influencing your speech faster than you are mine." My eyes wandered to his hair. "You know that's going to be a beast trying to untangle."

"I think I'll live. And yes, I do have Pippin's broach. Here, perhaps it would be best if you kept it safe for him." He pulled the green leaf broach from a pouch and dropped it into my hands. "Where is the king?"

I swallowed, forgetting myself and gripping the leaf tightly. "This way. Gimli, wanna come?"

The dwarf rolled his eyes at me, and followed us to the main hall where we ran into Legolas.

The elf had a small grin on his face, and relief in his clear blue eyes. "Le abdollen." (_You're late._)

I looked at my love weirdly, knowing that yesterday he was just as worried as I was.

"You look terrible."

They laughed and Legolas returned Aragorn's necklace, and I sighed. I could feel a headache coming on, and I wished so badly for my Zoloft. It was going to be a long night.

~*0*~

As night fell, I helped get the women and children into the caves before slipping away from an upset and rather angry Eowyn and down to the armory. Aragorn pushed past me on his way out just as I made my way in. his face was set and his jaw was clenched angrily. I looked over at Legolas and Gimli, confused. They couldn't possibly have just had their stupid argument, could they?

Legolas' frustrated eyes and Gimli's sympathetic face said they did.

I groaned and pushed my way through the throng of boys and men to my companions. "What's wrong with Aragorn?"

"They had a bit of an argument," Gimli replied, lowering his voice.

"An argument. You, a prince, had an argument with the _aran_ of Gondor. Your best friend. Seriously? You weren't arguing over a rock were you?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

He sighed heavily, seemingly annoyed. "No, Elevain, we were not arguing over a rock. It matters not what we argued over. We must prepare for the battle."

"Oh you are so difficult. How could you do something as ridiculous as have an argument with your best friend right before a battle? Ik hou van je Legolas, echt waar. Maar hoe kun je dit nou maken!? Als wij nu niet bij elkaar zijn is de strijd verloren!" (_Translation: I love you Legolas, I really do. But how can you do this now!? If we are divided now the battle is lost!) _I stopped talking, suddenly aware that I had started talking in Dutch. Why was everything suddenly just coming back at me? Why _now_? There goes my cover.

Brilliant.

I started to strap on a leather shoulder pad to either of my shoulders.

Legolas looked at me with confusion written on his face. Gimli was just as confused, maybe even adorably so with his head cocked to the side. Just don't tell him I said that. He'll lop my head off with his axe personally. I could feel Legolas trying to enter my mind, to find out what was going on and I pushed him out.

"Elevain don't push me out. What is going on? All of a sudden you start talking about Mother Nature, and how you need Zoloft and have panic attacks and then speak in a language unknown to even me? It is not evil as far as I can tell, though it sounds like the black tongue." His voice was below a whisper, hard even for Gimli to hear and he was standing right next to us. Legolas' voice was becoming angered and cold.

"It's nothing Legolas," I retorted, my voice becoming just as cold and lethal. "Drop it."

"There is something you're not telling me Elevain, something you haven't told any of us. Tell us. Now."

"Drop it."

"How can you expect us to listen to you and respect you when you won't even tell us where you're from? What are you hiding Elevain?"

Legolas snapped at me. He actually raised his voice and snapped at me. Once again the entire room went silent as every boy and man turned to the three of us standing in a corner.

My eyes narrowed threateningly and I clenched my jaw tightly. "Fine." My voice was unnaturally cold and emotionless. "You want to know what I'm hiding? I'll tell you. I'm not from Middle Earth. I'm not from the Grey Havens. I'm from an entirely different universe where all of this is nothing but stories and lore to entertain small children."

I tightened my belt around my waist so that Aerobeleth was pressed against my hip.

"I was with some friends when I got into an accident. Next thing I knew, I woke up right next to you. And you know what, for a while I was glad I did, glad that I could actually meet all of you and help in any way I possibly could. For Valar's sake, I don't even know if I'm going to wake up and this will all have just been a dream or if I will die or if I'm dead back in my own world or if suddenly I'm just going to be sent back! I'm not an elf. I'm becoming an elf, I was in an elves body when I arrived and I can understand and speak elvish, and I can heal like I'm an elf but I'm not! I'm mortal, Legolas. I have periods, I have a mental health issue, and I can't control my temper and become highly emotionally compromised!"

I tightened the strap of my quiver and twin knives across my chest, perhaps a little too tightly.

"My name is Elevain Furr, and I'm from Northern England, the United Kingdom, Europe, Earth, found in the Solar System on the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. I live with my two best friends Mandy and Amanda and work as an assistant to my sword and archery master. _That _iswhat I'm not telling you."

I strung my bow flawlessly, ignoring the fact that everyone was staring at me.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, I was only trying to protect myself. Now if you'll excuse me, _sire_, I have to get ready for a battle."

He was angry with me. I knew he was, I could feel anger and frustration rolling off him in waves. My head was pounding. What I didn't notice was Gimli's look of shocked confusion and how empty the armory had become in the last few minutes. At the entrance I turned back to my companions.

"If you could, I suggest you patch things up with Aragorn, so that once this bloody battle is over we can resume looking for the _perians_." I left the room, seething and broken. I ignored the inquiring looks I received, I ignored Vukmyl and Vratislav, I ignored even Aragorn, making my way to some secluded spot where I could just be alone.

I was so upset with myself, so hurt by the fact that I probably just hurt Legolas, so hurt that Legolas had snapped at me. My pacing increased in speed. I hoped to Valar I wouldn't die tonight, that I wouldn't be sent back to England anytime soon. As angry as I was with him, I still loved Legolas more than anything, and I needed him beside me. I needed to apologize-and he did too-and I needed to know that he still loved me. My anger soon turned into tears and I pounded the stone wall in front of me, leaning my warm face against the cool rocks. How could I possibly have screwed something up so much that I hurt not only myself, but the one I loved more than anything? I nearly screamed in rage. Key word being nearly. It was at that moment that I heard the sound that always made me smile at this point of the movie, the sound that told me also that one of the worst events was about to take place, the sound that I hoped beyond belief that I would and wouldn't hear at the same time.

The sound of the horn that signaled the host of elves coming from Lothlorien.

I whipped around and ran, once again forgetting myself, blowing past Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn and the King of Rohan down the stairs, bowling into Haldir, hugging his armored torso tightly.

He slowly hugged me back, and I could almost feel him smiling as his arms wrapped around me.

Aragorn coughed a small laugh, Gimli following suit. Waves of jealousy-seriously?- and, what was that, contempt?, rolled off of Legolas. I could feel them in my mind.

"Well," Haldir said at length, "I can see your leg is better Lady Elevain."


	26. Lasting the Night

**A/N: The world has ended, I actually updated within one month of the last chapter! *does little happy dance with party hat and confetti* **

**Definition of snogging (just in case): Snogging is just making out. **

**Please review! **

**BRTxoxo**

* * *

I was tired. I was wet. I was angry. I was in pain. I was sore. I was dealing with my period. Those ingredients do not mix well.

Once again, just as the battle began, an arrow had cut my upper arm. Haldir had helped me tear a strip of clothe from my skirt-again-and tied it around the wound.

The battle had been raging for who knows how long. Legolas and Gimli had been at their little counting game for the entire time. Aragorn was off somewhere being his heroic self, Haldir was right beside me watching my back, and I… I was busy hacking my way, rather ungracefully, through every Uruk-Hai that came my way, unlike Haldir. The struggle had become harder since the wall blew apart just a little while ago, but at least it had stopped raining.

I couldn't remember when it had stopped, but I remember when it had started.

After Haldir and his host had arrived, the top war leader guys-namely Théoden, our little party of The Three Musketeers and the weird one (me), Haldir, Théoden's generals, and Haldir's generals-met in the great hall to discuss where people would be set for the battle. At some point my bow broke, the tip that held the string in place snapped, and I swore in Dutch.

It was after that as everyone was leaving to stand and wait for the attack that Haldir pulled me aside and produced a leather pouch and a bow much like his. Inside the pouch was a pair of soft, supple leather vambraces that covered the three draw fingers and the thumb, forefinger, and half of the middle finger on the left hand. He said he would like me to have them, as a gift, from a friend, and when I looked at him strangely he said that his heart was momentarily occupied with serving the Lady of the Wood. He then produced another pouch and a small piece of parchment paper with swirling letters.

_Elevain, I hope you are well. These are herbs that should help with your anxiety, should it appear. –Arwen_

I was dumbfounded. How could she know about my anxiety? I took the herbs anyway, and almost immediately felt better. Or something. Better isn't exactly what most people feel when they take medications for a personality or mental disability. They feel more wrong, but at the moment, I wasn't complaining. Thus the absence of any panic attacks.

We stood for maybe an hour or so waiting for the army of Uruk-Hai to arrive, and I nearly fell asleep. I stood with Haldir, determined to stay by his side the _entire_ battle, no matter _what_, and make sure that he survived this. The bow he had given me was elegant, graceful, made of dark red hard wood and curved. It was truly beautiful and lucky for me, sturdy enough to support my weight since I was becoming restless.

I could nearly hear Haldir grinning from ear to ear as I fidgeted, and he chuckled when I elbowed him after a glance at him.

And then, slowly-literally, PAINFULLY slowly-the Uruk-Hai army came into view and advanced towards the Deeping Wall. It started raining as they came ever closer, and chills swept down my spine and a tiny smile graced my lips. The smell of rain in the open always made me happy.

Of course, being me, I started to think about Legolas. Okay, scratch that. I started to think about a _wet_ Legolas in leather armor, and being kissed in the rain, and kissing Legolas, because that's how my mind works. At that point I gave up any sense of propriety I had obtained, quietly told Haldir I'd be right back, asked him to hold my bow, and slipped through the ranks of elves to Legolas and Gimli.

Legolas turned at my approach and my anger was almost drowned out by the sight of him. He is a _very _attractive elf, especially when wet. The lightning lit up his face and eyes, making him look dangerous. Sort of like a sexy dangerous. It was very disarming.

With a deep breath I gathered my scattered resolve and told him that in case one of us didn't make it through the night, I still loved him more than anything. With that, I pulled his face down to mine and kissed him. I've only shared some kisses with him, one with Boromir, and all within the month or so, but I knew then, that I was never going to be kissed like this again unless it rained again.

It was, without a doubt, the best kiss I'd ever had. I was suddenly warm, my mind was fuzzy, and where his hands rested on my body burned with tiny little pinpricks. The water that hit my face and rolled down my cheeks left chilled trails. His lips were hot on mine, and he deepened the kiss quickly. My knees went weak as his tongue gently parted my lips. I breathed him in, tasting the forest on him, the rain, and with great effort-really it's a wonder I could do it at all-pulled away from him and focused my eyes.

The look his eyes held nearly made me kiss him again and abandon any thought of the battle tonight.

Right, I was saving Haldir. And snogging the elf prince of Mirkwood was not exactly helping that. "I'm still mad at you." I rejoined Haldir and closed my eyes against the rain, accepting it's coolness on my heated body.

The March Warden handed me my new bow, an eyebrow raised.

"Not a word from you."

Which brings us back to now as more of Saruman's army flood through the break in the wall, up the stairs, which Legolas had just boarded down on a shield, and over the walls. The battle it seemed was becoming lost, and I was becoming quite distraught. I didn't even hear Théoden call Aragorn back to the keep. Or Aragorn call Haldir back to the keep.

All I knew was I was out of arrows, I had no idea how I was still able to move with my new-and _tall_-bow on my back, that I was very out of sorts (meaning everything I had mentioned before) and all I was thinking about was keeping Haldir safe.

The Uruk-Hai were everywhere. I whirled around to find another miscreant to cut down and nearly killed the March Warden myself.

He grabbed my wrist. "Come, we must fall back to the keep."

I nodded and turned around, calling to the other elves. "To the keep! Nan barad am marad! Am marad!" When I turned to face Haldir again I was faced by an Uruk-Hai running full throttle at me.

~*0*~

My head pounded. I couldn't breathe. Slowly I pushed my body up and found that my face had been pressed into the side of a dead and stinking Uruk-Hai. As I tried to get farther away from him, something fell off my back, rocks and I believe some parts of a dead body. Speaking of those filthy orc subspecies, where was that Uruk-Hai that came charging at me? I want to kill it.

Oh, there it is. Areobeleth was sticking straight up out of his torso, her blade glinting in the sunlight.

Sunlight?!

I turned to see the source of the light and was immediately blinded, sending more pain ricocheting through my skull. I jerked my head around away from the sun and my arms promptly gave out, sending my face right back into the side of the dead creature that stunk like the Bog of Eternal Stench. Well, maybe just a corner of the not so smelly part of said Bog.

Given the fact that I had taken in my surroundings the first time I pushed myself away from the miscreant I was jammed into, I was able to focus more on actually getting up and listening to the happenings around me. Which in fact were very disheartening.

"Elevain?!"

"Elevain!"

"Lassie!"

Oh bullocks. Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli were calling for me, and each of them sounded rather distraught.

"Gandalf! Eomer! Have either of you seen Elevain? She has not been seen since we pulled back to the keep after the Deeping Wall was compromised. I cannot hear her."

I've been out for that long? I couldn't find my voice, nor could I call out to Legolas because of my pounding headache. The sunlight blinded me as it glanced off my swords blade. Did Haldir-Oh no Haldir! He wasn't dead was he? Oh Valar please tell me that he had survived!

"No, we have not seen her."

"Legolas!"

"Haldir! Where is Elevain?"

"I thought she was with you."

"We thought she was with you."

I could see them just over the top of the wall, down in the ravine where the last surge had happened between those inside the Keep, Eomer's forces, and the remainder of Saruman's army.

Haldir stood with my three musketeers, Gandalf and Eomer. With a sigh of relief I gently lowered myself down again to find out what has keeping my leg captive. It was another body, an elf.

I almost threw up.

"Lady Elevain?"

"Vukmyl!" my voice was barely louder than a coarse whisper.

"Are you well?" the young boy gently lifted the elves body off of my legs and helped me to stand.

My head cleared some and I gripped Vukmyl for support.

"There! On the wall!"

We looked behind us to see Vratislav leading Gandalf, Eomer, Aragorn, Gimli, Haldir and Legolas up the stairs through the hole in the wall. Legolas was the first to reach me, pulling me into a tight hug, the one you get when you see someone for the first time after a few years or after not knowing where they are or if they're okay. I gripped his jerkin tightly in my hands, burying my face into his chest, not caring that the tighter he held me, the harder my nose pressed into his sternum and the worse my head pounded. I could feel his heart beating, and it calmed my frayed nerves. By now the rest of our troop had reached us.

When he released me, Legolas held my shoulders and looked straight into my eyes. I nearly stopped breathing. The emotion… it was so unfathomably deep. "Don't you ever do that to me again." his hand cupped my face and his thumb stroked my cheek while his other hand smoothed back my hair. "Please, don't ever scare me like that again."

"I'll try not to."

His mouth quirked once before he kissed my forehead and hugged me again.

I breathed heavily, leaning against my lover and closed my eyes.

"And I'm still mad at you."

I would have been upset if I hadn't heard the smirk in his voice.


End file.
